falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus
by MaroonAngel of Darkness
Summary: false in one thing, false in everything. Like the false tales of heroes and monsters, good and evil, life and death. False like their glory and words. Even if the world believed such things, they knew the truth, and will always know. And will always remember.
1. Chapter 1

**Originally, I was going to wait for FF13 Versus, or i guess now its FF15, to come out, that is, if it ever comes out... but we just had a new trailer so it might be on its way!  
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**Anyway, this story I had in my head not long after I discovered Lightis, which has been about… 2 years now, maybe… so yeah, this idea has been in my head for 2 years now X) after much plotting, musing, and playing around with the possibilities, I decided that this story should appear after The Lightning Strike. Technically, it probably should have appeared before it or even around the time of Forgetting Reality, but I was still working out the kinks… and sort of still am.**

**But, out of all the other Lightis stories, this is the one I have the most idea for on where and how to take it. T****hough this story is likely to be a long one, hope you guys like long stories. Though I don't have plans to put up another Lightis story till this is done; but if it goes on too long I might end up post another Lightis story.  
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**Updates should be a week to a month, but may and probably will vary and will be updated when I get the chance when writing is slow, so i guess the next update could be whenever...but i'll try to keep it a week to a month.  
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**So enjoy and reviews are greatly appreciated ^^  
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**The title is in Latin and means: false in one thing, false in everything.**

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**Memorias**

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**Memories**

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A long time ago, when our world fell through one of the greatest tragedies of its time, the humans were left scattered and lost.

They were homeless, scared, broken, and chipped of any faith and hope. There was nothing for them to follow, nothing to show or guide them. The gods that had loomed over their lives were gone, leaving the humans with the frightening and overwhelming feeling of free will.

A will they had no idea on how to work with. No idea on what to desire. No idea that now they could control their fate, now that they were the owners of their lives.

It was a feeling they didn't know and was frightened of. They were lost and unsure on what to do with themselves on the wild and ruthless Gran Pulse.

This was the time the tyrant struck.

He appeared before the broken humans, spilling lies and empty promises to them, appealing, assuring, and soothing them. He guided them through the barbaric nature of Pulse, guided them to civilization, to a sanctuary from the world outside. He shaped them like a parent would with children, his every breath remembered, treasured, and learned.

Even history was written through him.

A very wrong history.

And through him started the game. The game of puppets.

The most loyal families relished under his guidance and were chosen as his lords and council, splitting up and spreading the "sanctuary".

He made them kings, bestowing honors and rule over each new plot of land this sanctuary spread out too. Like gluttonous children, they ate candy form his hands, soaking in his praises and bowing at his every whim; they followed him as blindly as we did before. Like the trusting fools they were, they did as he bid with never a question or a thought.

For a long time, we watched from the shadows, hidden from that tyrant. We watched as civilization grew again, under his lies and control. We watched as they became his pawns of power, living in a utopia. We watched as they grew in strength, knowing that they would just as quickly crumble.

We all knew well enough how fast this sanctuary could fall.

For through his work, they forgot. They have long forgotten the real reason they woke up so lost and broken, they forgot the previous utopia that chained them; and it now chains them again in a trap they let themselves fall into.

We pity them. We pity how they forgot and wound themselves in his web.

We hate them and their willingness to forget, to get tangled in his lies.

But we haven't forgotten.

We could never bring ourselves too.

All the pain that was called.

The separation.

The accusations.

The lies.

The massacres.

How could we ever forget?

How could we ever forgive?

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**Satus Torva**

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**Grim Start**

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_Stella…_

The night couldn't get better in his opinion, and he felt there was little that could make it worse even if it was possible it could get worse.

The ball was a success, bloomed and bold, a flush of colors. Men and women in every form and person flocked around, giggle and whispers dancing around and filling the air in a steady hum, a perfect pitch of white noise to soothe and relax any stranger here.

Anyone but him it seems.

_Stella…_

Noctis clung to his glass, clutching it tight enough that it could crack under pressure if he squeezed it more. Slouched in his seat, he glared out at the guests, aggravated with how each was having such a blissful time. How happy they were.

How could they be so happy?

How dare they be so happy.

Wasn't this supposed to be a funeral? A mourning to his dear lover?

By these smiles and laid back postures, apparently not.

_Stella…_

Growling to himself, Noctis slammed his glass down on a near table and stalked off, mindful to keep away from his father and friends. A ball in her honor was the last thing he needed. It was the last thing he wanted. What he really wanted was solitude, solitude to sulk for his loss. For the sudden and cruel separation.

They were a week away. A week from being wed; from being promised to one another; a week from having his very own queen to rule alongside him.

Just a mere week away.

Only to have every come crashing down, and ruining everything he had hoped and was excited for.

She was murdered.

His Stella, his dear Stella, murdered by monsters.

_Stella…_

Monsters men had no knowledge of. No one could identify the creatures that came upon her, that ruthlessly tore her apart. No one even knew how she stumbled upon them. How they got on the castle grounds and how they found her. All that was known was that the castle was filled with screams and squeals, and when the guards arrived, Stella was gone, with three humanoid creatures, and their bodies twisted and deformed were covered in her blood. Her body lay at their feet, torn and shredded apart.

It was speculated that it was a painful end.

Noctis was sorry that he wasn't there to end the monsters himself. To end them over and over again for what they did. Just the thought tugged his hands into fists.

He should have been there. He should have been with her.

_Stella…_

Or at least fallen with her. He should have been with her, should have died alongside her at least.

His Stella, his poor beautiful Stella…

He never met anyone like her, no one had the same beauty that she had, both inside and out. How she seemed to glow in all forms of light. She lit up the world and eased it with her soothing presence. A day didn't go by where Noctis relished her presence.

She was the one, he knew she was. She was to be his queen, his support in hard times. His voice of reason. Everything he seemed to live by was her.

And she was so easily torn from him.

Snarling, he slammed in fist in the wall, pain tearing at his hand as a bruise bubbled over his knuckles. He was barely aware of it though. Drawing away, he glared at the wall, not even glancing down at his hand, cursing life and its cruelty. How dare they attack Stella. How dare they take her from him. They had no right, no reason to do that.

Stella, his dear Stella...

She didn't deserve that fate.

She did nothing wrong.

Nothing at all.

Why? Why did they attack her?

Why were they there.

Oh Stel—

"Prince Caelum?"

Noctis paused, turning over and finding the familiar lone figure of Gelenth Dysley, the High Priest and prophet of their god, Bhunivelze. The prince quickly bit back the snarl that would have jumped out if he had not seen the man. He'd never hear the end of it if he shouted at the High Priest. Dysley was a revered figure, and has been around for as long as mankind could remember.

Dysley was the one that led to humanity's salvation and strength, he found them homes and reasons and has been around ever step of the way to guide and assist them. The many wondered about his immortality, he often stated that Bhunivelze granted him it so long as he was the leading prophet.

Most didn't press after that. Though some were bold to ask how to gain Bhunivelz's favor to be granted immortality; Dysley never breathed the answer and kindly asked not to be questioned again.

Noctis noticed the rare time that the priest was alone, though he was sure that his ever present bodyguard was near, he always was. A cold looking man named Kai something or another something along those lines. Either way, the prince found him to be an unbearable man, always watching him and his friends like they were trouble. He was glad to find that the man wasn't with the priest for the moment.

But he also wasn't too pleased to find the High Priest here.

Sighing angrily at himself and his loss of solitude, Noctis bowed before the religious figure, uttering, "High Priest."

Dysley waved off. "Enough child, there is no reason to bow in my presence," the priest eased as he stepped closer, his eyes locked on Noctis's hand. "If I may?" he asked, reaching for it. Reluctantly, Noctis allowed the man to hold his own, his fingers ghosting over the bruised flesh and frowning. "There is nothing worse than a man's grief," Dysley mused to himself, loud enough for the prince to hear. "It leaves us with reckless rage, making us blind to everything around us. But when the spark of anger is doused, the only thing left is our broken spirit."

Dysley placed his hand on top of Noctis's, warmth flooding from and spreading through his hand. The prince blinked his eyes in wonder as the soothing feeling brushed over his knuckles, taking the pain away. "Luckily, all that you suffered was a bruise," Dysley smiled slightly, gently tapping his hand as he released him, his bruise gone. Noctis's hand fell limply at his side and the prince turned away shamefully.

"Pardon me High Priest, I'm... not at my best right now." _Please leave. _Noctis was tempted to ask but kept his mouth shut. He could tell by the look in the old man's eyes, leaving was the last thing he had plans for.

"Completely understandable," Dysley eased, waving him away. "You lost your lover to a cruel twist of fate."

Noctis's eyes flickered darkly at those easy, heartless words, glinting red in the darkened hall that he slipped into. He glanced at the priest, his hands curling back into fists slightly. "Are you saying that this was fated, High Priest?" he voiced, a subtle growl rumbling in his voice.

Dysley was hardly intimidated though. Calmly, he walked past the distraught prince and down the hall, his eyes glued ahead towards the gardens. Frustrated, Noctis followed, intent on getting answers. As soon as he was beside Dysley, the priest voiced, "The Caelum line is one of the strongest families I've ever known and one of the best rulers I've ever placed on the throne. I never regret the day that I chose the first of your line to rule. Your family has yet to prove my choice wrong. Out of all the monarchy families that rose and fell, the Caelums have been a constant it seems."

"I am well aware sir," Noctis bit out, "but what does that have to do with Stella being fated to die."

"My dear prince," Dysley said patiently, "As great as your line is, there is always a price to pay for such good fortune. A great leader isn't born, a great leader is made from what they've learned. All Caelum that have been fated to rule the throne have suffered in some way. A struggle that they had to get through. The first of your line, Lucius, was a simple street orphan, he knew nothing of ruling; yet he started a great family. Even your father has suffered. His arrogance and pride nearly costs him a lot, if your mother hadn't come and changed his view and helped him become better; even after her death, he went on through grief and age; becoming one of the wisest men I've ever known in all my life."

Dysley paused, slowly turning to Noctis. "And you my prince, are suffering the loss of a lover as well, only you don't have the same responsibilities that your father had to help push you on, like a child of your own or a kingdom."

"And this helps me how?" Noctis demanded.

"It doesn't," Dysley sad simply. "I am making you aware that this is the struggle that you'll have to get through before you become king." Noctis scowled down at him, turning around to stomp off, but stopped when Dysley suddenly voiced, "But there is a way to avenge her and bring peace to your mind."

Noctis turned to the priest, eyeing him while debated with himself. A chance to find more of those monsters? To wipe them out completely? It did sound quite appealing. "I'm listening," he said.

Dysley smiled. "Ever heard of a l'Cie?"

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**in the original chapter, Dysley was threatening/convincing Noctis' father to let him send his son out to go l'Cie hunting, i like this much more. **

**Yes, I know, cliche, Stella was Noctis's previous lover that passed and he still clings to her, whether she was manipulating him or not, i don't know for sure yet. I had no real place for Stella in the story, and her death was a good drive for Noctis to hunt l'Cie. **

**I will have pretty much all the characters from FF13 and some from FF13-2, i'm debating on having some from Lightning Returns appears, like Lumina... not too sure though. anyway, i hope you guys enjoyed and are interested ;) **


	2. Chapter 2

**whew, this is a long one ;)  
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**Inquisitio**

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**Searching  
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L'Cie.

It was a term that was heavy in his mind. A l'Cie… what was a l'Cie exactly? The description Dysley gave him was vague, only confirming that they were monsters. They were immortal, intelligent, and physically stronger than any human, they had magic, magic that easily rivaled Bhunivelze's favored kings, maybe even surpassed them. They could even summon and become demons, changing their forms into monstrous creatures, giving the prince the impression that they could appear human or something that would drop someone's guard.

But over all they sounded quite inhuman, even if they themselves appeared human.

Frowning down, Noctis, flipped through the pages, his eyes gliding over the words, looking for anything would mention l'Cie. For the past eleven hours, Noctis has been searching through the royal library, skimming through every history and mythology book they had to see if they anything, _anything _on l'Cie.

There was nothing though. No record, no mention, no _word _that could lead him to where to find or even identify a l'Cie. It was as if they didn't exist. They had to though, there would have been no reason for the High Priest to mentioned them to him. If the priest knew about them, they existed. Somewhere...

"If you're trying to find information on l'Cie, you're wasting your time."

Noctis looked up and scowled slightly at the sight of a very familiar man leaning against a book case watching him, tensing slightly. Much like the High Priest, this man has been with humanity since the beginning of time and is the eternal bodyguard of the High Priest. His name was something Noctis never bothered to remember. He hardly spoke to anyone and always had a look in his eyes that he was superior, just because he was immortal and powerful.

Noctis didn't have fond memories of him like he did with Dysley when he was a kid. The bodyguard scared him more than anything. He always hid whenever the bodyguard was present with Dysley, not even his mother could coo him out of hiding. The idea of having such cold empty eyes following wherever he went brought shivers down his spine and always filled him with unease.

Even now, in a sense, he was still scared of him. He was so different than anyone else Noctis has ever seen. Pale bronze skin, cold violet eyes that flashed white whenever he was angry, and a thick, wild mane of violet that hung over half his face, with beads and feathers embellished in it, and a black and purple headband keeping a large majority off half his face. The armor he wore was nothing like the prince has ever seen before either. Black and jagged, it looked primal and made our of the harden skins of behemoths and some other monsters.

And to add to his intimidating appearance was a large, wicked and evil looking blade the immortal fondly called Ragnarok, the god slayer. For a servant of the god Bhunivelze, having a name for such a blade was unnerving for the prince. It didn't give off the right impression of loyalty that he'd want if he was a god. Everything about this man gave off a bad impression to Noctis. There was just something off about him, he could always feel it. The air was tense around him, like he was a caged, raging beast just waiting to be released.

Probably was, now that the prince thought about it.

"Shouldn't the dog be with his master?" he voiced, looking down so he wouldn't see the white flash in Caius' agitated eyes. Everyone in the royal families or a favored servant of Bhunivelze had the gift and ability of magic, and as a mark for it, whenever it was used, their eyes would change to a different color. The bodyguard was no different. Where everyone in Noctis' family would have red, the immortal would have solid white eyes. He always quivered when under the gaze of those eyes.

Heavy, loud steps approached him as the bodyguard drew near and Noctis quickly reminded himself that the immortal would never dare hurt the favored of Bhunivelze.

Hands slammed down on his table as the intimidating man leaned over, glaring at Noctis. Noctis looked up and met his gaze, finding them white like he predicted. With a growling sneer, the immortal mocked, "This _dog _came on his own whim to help you." He drew away, giving the prince some space. "But if you don't want it that badly..."

Noctis gritted his teeth before quickly biting out, "I apologize." He blamed his frustration with not finding anything for this desperation. Just something, anything that took him one step closer.

Like he predicted, the immortal paused, his white eyes dimming back to purple as a smug look came over his stern features. A look Noctis always hated. One that showed that they knew something that he didn't, and he'd have to work to get that information. To ever think he'd see that look on the bodyguard... actually no, he shouldn't have been too surprised though. He wouldn't past the immortal to hold something over him.

"I'm not at my best," he went on, trying to smooth those ruffled feathers.

"I know you're not," the immortal stated with a loud huff. "Its obvious to everyone with the attitude you walk around, spoiled imbecile."

The prince twitched. "Are you really here to help? Or a fight?"

The immortal laughed, a cruel and hollow laugh that made him want to shrink. It was empty of any emotion, and heavy with mockery. With a sneer, the immortal cackled, "You wouldn't last five seconds with me, prince. Never mind a l'Cie. Your head would be crushed, your body thrown through a wall with every bone shattered, burnt or fried to a crisp, or a blade plunged through your heart or your neck long before you could even move.

"You think going after a l'Cie would be like going after some behemoth? Something to hunt and kill and be done with? Revenge satisfied? They aren't animals boy. They are far, far above animals; far, far above you simple humans as well," the immortal told him, drawing nearer with each word and leaning over to glare at the prince.

Noctis fists his hands, glaring at the bodyguard. Each word sending a numb feeling inside him as he imagined what he would be up against, trying to imagine a normal looking human, something similar to the immortal before him and fighting it. Pushing his growing unease down, he hissed through gritted teeth, "You don't think I haven't thought of that! Dysley already told me that they were monsters, and I get that they are; no need to make it sound like they are gods themselves!"

The immortal drew away, reaching back and tapping his sword that hung loyally and presently on his back. "With what they can become, they might as well be," he said, Noctis stilled, his eyes widening as he paled slightly, immediately understanding his point.

Ragnarok, the god slayer.

They could become a ragnarok.

That was something he could never imagine.

Dysley preached that the ragnarok was the bane of Bhunivelze. A demon so powerful that it could rival their god, or could be even stronger. It could destroy a god and even the world. Dysley said that it was a ragnarok that tore apart humanity centuries ago, that left them scattered till the priest came with his guidance.

What became of the very ragnarok that brought them to their current lives was a mystery that would never be answered.

To think that l'Cie could become god slayers...

"Why are they still around?" he asked, "Why hasn't Bhunivelze wiped them out or, or sent us to wipe them out."

The immortal snorted. "As foolishly loyal as ever I see."

Noctis glared at him, opening his mouth to growl back, only to remember that he didn't know the bodyguard's name. While he struggled to remember, the immortal went on without, instantly bringing the prince down to earth. "You don't think the damn thing tried? Even before your _god _came to help humans, he started hunting l'Cie, only for them all to go into seclusion. No matter what he did, Bhunivelze could never find them." Then he sneered. "What makes you think that you will be the one to find them when your god failed?"

The answer came to Noctis naturally, already on his lips before his mind could even process an answer. "He has faith that I will, that's why Dysley told me. To bring both of us peace from these menace."

"You sure that they are a menace?"

Noctis paused, glancing at the immortal.

"They've been around for a long time, and so far, your god is the only one that's been lashing out. They haven't been seen for centuries. For _evil _immortal monsters, that is quite peaceful, where Bhunivelze is not."

"Why are you defending them?" Noctis demanded, glaring at the immortal suspiciously.

He smirked at the prince. "You don't find it curious that after so long of never coming out, they come out to attack your beau? Out of all these centuries, that's the only time? And then its Dysley's first time mentioned l'Cie to anyone; I'm quite curious about these coincidences."

For a moment, Noctis froze, his mind reeling at the doubt the immortal planted.

Could it have been a set up? A frame? Just to take out Stella? Was it Bhunivelze's will that he would be killed by these monsters as well? Its curious, he couldn't deny that. And why was he only told? He didn't see his father, nor any of Stella's own family searching for information about these l'Cie.

Why was he the only one?

"Do you get it now boy?"

He jerked at the immortal's voice, turning to see him glaring at him sternly. "Do you get that you're being set up?"

No.

He wasn't being set up. He was a Caelum... one of Bhunivelze's favored families. One of the few to remain and last for so long... His god wouldn't turn his back on him. Not after such a long line of loyalty. If this was Bhunivelze's will, then the god must know that he would succeed where Bhunivelze's himself failed... or so he hoped.

Bhunivelze wouldn't turn on him.

Looming up, he met the immortal's cold, sure stare; as if he knew everything there was to know in the world. He probably did, being around for so long. But that didn't mean he was right about everything. That didn't mean he was right about the doubts he was trying to plant in his mind. Bhunivelze wouldn't turn on him.

Breathing in, more sure of himself than before. He confidently said, "Bhunivelze wouldn't turn his back on a Caelum, not when we have been loyal for so long."

"Fool," the immortal bit out. "I might as well run you through and save the l'Cie the work."

"Aren't you a loyal servant?" Noctis bit back.

The immortal laughed again. "A servant?! That the fancy name for slave!" His eyes flashed white as he bared his teeth at the prince, showing him pointed canines. "And you're just as much as one as I am, if not worse. You can't even see the snake right in front of your face." He turned away with a sneer, his voice bouncing off the library walls. "Good luck on your hunt boy, may the l'Cie be merciful and fast."

And then he was gone, leaving the prince alone to ponder the immortal's appearance and reasons. Was his purpose to plant doubt in the prince's mind? To get a rise out of him?

Noctis pushed all those thoughts away, turning to the books he left scattered on the table.

Bhunivelze had good favor on the Caelum line, and in return, they were ever loyal and grateful; becoming one of the greatest of the god's blessed families. The god himself had no reason to end the line. No reason at all. And Dysley, they've always had a good relation with the High Priest. He was like a charming grandfather for the prince, especially when he was a boy.

There was no reason for Dysley to be against the Caelums either.

His eyes trailed to the door where the immortal left. That man was never close with anyone, and never got close. This was the first time in all his life that the immortal came and spoke with him willingly.

Now that the prince found to be suspicious.

Just what goes on in that unwilling and bitter bodyguard's mind?

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**Vale**

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**Goodbye**

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"There'll be peace soon," he whispered, setting the ivory lily down on the grave, leaning back as he sat on the ground, staring up at the grave where his love lay. By his insistence, Stella's grave was changed into a momentum. Before him, a large angel was crafted, her wings stretched out and circling around, as if she was reaching out to embrace her guest with her wings; and her face carved elegantly, bringing out the perfection he always saw and for others to see. Looking up at it, he could almost imagine that she was here, smiling down at him with soft, knowing eyes.

It was like everything was right in the world, that's how she always saw it and always believed. There was never anything wrong, just bad times and experiences that will always pass.

That was something he always admired her for. Stella always looked passed the bad and saw to the brighter future ahead, like she always knew that there would be one. Even when he didn't think there was one, she always found ways to make it better, to brighten the world and assure him that life would get better.

He didn't see how it could get better now though.

Stella was gone. Never again to brighten his world or assure him that life would get better. Never again to help him with his decisions, never to guide him...

"I'm sorry," he whispered, staring up at the statues kind eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't there, I'm sorry that you went through... I'll find them Stella, I promise you, I'll find them."

The stone's eyes didn't brighten or dim like hers would have, they stayed the same, kind and neutral, never disproving or encouraging; leaving the prince to guess if this really was the right path.

"Noctis."

He turned at the sound of his father's voice, finding the aging man standing in the archway of the garden were Stella's momentum stood. His same dark blue eyes, heavy and weary, watched the prince sit before the angel. Without a word, he stepped out and approached them both, leaning over and resting his hands reassuringly on Noctis' shoulders. Noctis tensed under that hand before he slowly relaxed as they both looked on at the angel. Finally, his father spoke.

"They both loved the garden didn't they?"

Noctis hummed in agreement, thinking of the other angel that was built in the garden. The one his father had made for his mother. It wasn't as large as Stella's was, it was smaller, simpler, and her face was carved beautifully, much like Stella's. Noctis used to always go to the memorial whenever he was upset, leaning against that statue and pouring all his sorrow into it. His mother always soaked it up and listened till his tears dried and his emotions left him tired, but a bit better than before.

It was twisted, for them both to lose their love, to see them die while they were left to live on. Was it some twisted fate that Caelums go through? Dysley declared that it was, though Noctis never knew what the Caelums did to deserve all this sorrow. Hardships made men, Noctis knew this, but it also broke them. Maybe it was Bhunivelze test to the Caelums, to push them and see if they were the better man, getting past this hard time.

He breathed in. He was already moving forward in his mind.

"I'm still going dad," he said, not turning to look at his father, simply sticking to staring at Stella's face.

"I know," his father sighed, squeezing his shoulder. "I know you are, that there is little that I can do to change your mind, and I do respect your wish..." his father paused and he heard him breathe shakily before he continued, "but I do want you to grief as any normal man should and get passed it, I wish Dysley kept his mouth shut about these damn l'Cie..."

"They killed her out of cold blood," Noctis growled.

"I know they did," his father said quickly, squeezing his shoulder, "I won't deny that I'm just as furious, but vengeance won't cure your grief."

Noctis rose up, rounding on him with a snarl, shoving off his father's hand as he glared at him spitefully. "Its justice!"

His father stood calmly, watching his son blow up before him, seeing the raw rage and sorrow clouding his gleaming ruby eyes. He was neither surprised or intimidated at the raw fury his son was presenting to him. Breathing in, he released. "There are thin lines between justice and vengeance, Noctis. The ones that killed Stella are dead."

"There are more of them out there _father_, and didn't I tell you everything the immortals told me? We should be sending an army out at them!"

His father sighed, drawing away and pacing around the garden, glancing in the direction where his wife's own momentum was, as if trying to secure his own thoughts and emotions. "As tempting as that is, I can't entirely dismiss Caius' point. A king needs to consider everything and act the way he feels he should, Noctis. These l'Cie attack now, after so long in hiding, even if they are even still around; why now?"

"They're monsters, why would they have a reason?" Noctis seethed, thinking of the name Caius and placing it with the image of the immortal bodyguard. That was his name.

His father turned to him, opening his mouth to speak, only for it to close when nothing cam out. Disappointed eyes stared at the prince, and for a moment, Noctis' anger diminished as natural shame rippled through him; only to quickly spike into anger again. He didn't understand, mom wasn't murdered, not like Stella was.

"I won't risk Lucis to such creatures, to such a chance, not till we have proof."

"We do have proof," Noctis declared.

"Proof of their existence," his father said. "Not of ill intentions."

"They killed Stella!"

"Why was there only a few of them? Why not more? Maybe those were the last."

"Their not. There are more."

"Noctis... her killers are dead, please, don't leave Luxerion, don't leave Lucis. You have a future and a responsibility, don't throw it away for a deed that's already been done."

"It hasn't been done _father_, and it won't be till I have l'Cie blood on my hands, I won't return till their dead," Noctis vowed, his eyes gleaming with his promise. Again his father opened his mouth, to protest, to argue, only to sigh in defeat as he slumped, his hand coming up and massaging his temples. Finally, he spoke.

"Just be safe and to come back home, that's all I ask." His father's voice rang out, bringing the prince out of this thoughts and watching as he went up the black stone steps, back to the palace.

"Do you doubt Bhunivelze father?" Noctis asked coldly, watching his father pause, stiff and tense before he slumped again and moving along, not answering his son as he left the garden. Scoffing, Noctis turned away, his anger eating him away the longer he raged. What would he know of this grief? What would he know of anything! He's not going through the same suffering that he was, he wasn't living with the knowledge that his wife was killed out of cold blood.

What did he understand?

Then he deflated, remorse swelling in him at the words he said. It wasn't his father's fault, and in a sense, he did go through the same thing; he was also being a good father, he's always been, watching out for his only son...

Noctis shook his head and sighed, feeling empty and heavy. This shouldn't be how he and his father parted ways, especially if he wasn't coming back. Not that he doubted Bhunivelze, but no matter how he looked at it, especially after thinking over about these l'Cie and what he would be dealing with... it was a suicide mission after all. He acknowledged and realized it. And accepted it.

Everything he read lead to that l'Cies were merciless and ruthless. He didn't expect to come back himself. Its only if Bhunivelze really was on his side would he ever return. Thanks to that immortal, Caius, he wasn't so sure if the god would help him. He turned to the angel, ready to breathe a promise to see her soon, but paused quickly, catching sight of something he's never seen before. Standing before the angel was single, red, thorny rose.

Roses were rare in Lucis, one of the rarest known flowers in all of Bhunivelze's kingdoms, especially the red rose. It was a flower Stella always adored. Whenever the topic was brushed, she'd go on and on about it, how regal it was, how beautiful and powerful, and was just as intimidating with wild, savage thorns on all sides, wrapping up in a sharp blanket.

For a moment, Noctis considered reaching out and removing it. It wasn't there before after all, and he didn't want those thorns near Stella; but she did love this flower, especially the red. He remembered a time not long after he first met Stella and they were sure friends, already moving towards becoming more; she found a rare rose and pricked herself on its thorns...

* * *

_"Ouch!" rang the promise of Noctis' warning. Smirking to himself and rolling his eyes, Noctis came around, peering down at the crouching blonde, watching as she sucked her finger while she pouted at the black rose before her. "Told you not to touch it," he teased. _

_Stella grumbled back at him, peering at the resistant black rose, it seemed to mock her as it stood strong, its thorns gleaming, one with a drop of red on its tip. "I wanted it in my garden though," she murmured to him. _

_"A black rose?" he asked, raising a brow as he crouched down beside her, peering at the dark flower. "Isn't that depressing?"_

_She chuckled, "Well mister-I-wear-black-all-the-time, just because its dark doesn't mean its bad. Just like you."_

_"Hey!" he whined, reaching out and pushing her a bit, making her laugh. "But really Noctis," she said as soon as her giggles died down, "wouldn't you like having a rose in your garden?"_

_"Boys don't care about flowers, Stella."_

_She rolled her eyes. "Oh don't you start on what boys like and don't like. I mean it Noctis."_

_Noctis sighed, slouching back as he stared at the black flower, eyeing every curving petal, watching it gleam in the light with vivid colors of violet in the light. "I don't know Stella, if I get one, I'll have one. Maybe this black one, it'd fit with my _dark nature_."_

_"Oh stop," Stella chuckled. "But I'm sorry Noct, you can't have this rose, the black is mine."_

_"Who decided that?"_

_"I did, just now."_

_"Alright Your Highness," Noctis scoffed, "what's my color rose?"_

_Stella paused before smiling, reaching out and lovingly caressing the petals, making the prince's inside curl and fidget as something warm flourished inside him. "You'll have a red rose," she said, sounding so sure to his ears._

_"A red rose?" he repeated._

_"You'll see what I mean someday, but it'll be precious, your rose." She smiled at him. "Keep her close Noct."_

_He blinked in confusion then rolled his eyes. "Flowers have gender now?"_

_Stella gaped at him, looking appalled. Then she turned away, leaning forward to cover the black rose from his sight. "Don't listen to him," she whispered loudly to the flower, ensuring that he'd hear as she coddled it, "he doesn't understand like I do."_

_"Really Stella?"_

_"Quiet Noctis! I'm comforting this flower!"_

* * *

Noctis laughed fondly at the memory, eyeing the gleaming red rose before him.

_"You'll have a red rose..."_

Was this the red rose Stella spoke of? Walking closer, Noctis crouched before it, lightly touching the soft petals and grazing them like Stella had before. Feeling the soft texture tickle his finger tips, Noctis closed his eyes as a serene feeling came over him, clearing his head and bringing a sense of calm over him.

When he opened his eyes, he was more sure of himself than before. Its a sign of encouragement and comfort from Stella. He was sure of it. He'd say his goodbye to his father and friends, and make amends for the earlier conversation and dispute.

He'll find the l'Cie.

He'll avenge Stella.

And maybe even join her.

He'll do what Bhunivelze himself couldn't.

* * *

"You see this mountainside? This is where the l'Cie lurk and hide. You'll need to climb up the steep and see if you can find a cave or crack in, oh, and dress warmly son, it can be quite cold up there-" Noctis merely nodded as priest rambled, urging him to continue, peering at the map curiously. This was the first time he saw a map of the world outside Luxerion, Bhunivelze's grey city.

A map he shouldn't see till he became a king, though not even his father had _that_ much information and knowledge of the world outside Luxerion. Luxerion was the home and place for humans, that's what Dysley always preached. Outside Luxerion was the last of any humans' concern and that it was a dangerous, too dangerous for any human. His words have been proved. Any explorer that left Luxerion never came back or were seen again.

Noctis was surprised that Dysley gave his blessing to let Noctis out when no one else was and were insistently advised to stay in Luxerion.

His father was especially against the idea, he could see it in his eyes. Still reluctant and disappointed, grim and torn against their different desires; their last meeting was tense and heavy, and Noctis merely got the same wish his father told him before.

_"Just be safe and to come back home, that's all I ask."_

An agitated screech pierced the air, interrupting Dysley's guide to secure the prince safe passage and Noctis' thoughts. Looking up, Noctis eyed Menrva, Dysley's strange owl like pet perched high on a library shelf, glaring at the three men hanging around the entrance door, glaring in at Noctis. He ignored them and the bird, glancing back at the map while the priest chastised the bird. Not too far from the prince and priest, the immortal bodyguard stayed hidden in shadows, observing and watching.

Noctis peered down at the map and taking in the details of the area around Luxerion. Easily, he could tell which of the cities where which by their colors, with Lucis being the darkest, the well known black city; and was, conveniently, closest to the mountain Dysley was telling him about.

Past the mountain and around it and Luxerion itself was a wide desert, unnamed on this map. And along the corner, there was nothing else, only an endless desert that he prince could see. Spreading his hand over the sandy area, he asked it there was a name for it.

"I'm afraid not, not one that I know of, this desert was made before I came to humanity, as far as I know, it was never named. This mountain though, its been around before the fall of humanity and your rise back into civilization, its known as Yaschas Massif, its full of caverns, ravines, tunnels, and caves. L'Cie would not lurk in the open desert as much as we do, they would be here in the mountains, this is where you should search," Dysley told him, tapping the illustrated mountain.

"Besides l'Cie, is there anything I should look out for?" Noctis asked.

Dysley shook his head, "You'll be on your own once your inside. The only thing I can think of that you'd need to look out for is a creature known as a faeryl."

"A faeryl?"

"A large, dangerous reptile; they are uncommon and prefer being in the open, there is a chance that one could be Yaschas Massif, but its unlikely since space is limited. Mostly like it would be in the desert, but there could be a nest. Over all, that's all you'd have to worry about coming across, and the l'Cie themselves, if you can find them."

A loud cough rose up through the library and all eyes looked up to see a scowling blonde man glaring at Noctis while the other two waited impatiently, equally scowling. Menrva hissed again, fidgeting in displeasure as the glared at the men, Noctis scowled back at the three. "Pardon me for a moment, High Priest," he said.

"Oh its fine, young prince," Dysley said easily, waving him away, rolling up the map. "Lets meet again after dinner, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit pecking, we'll discuss more after."

Noctis merely nodded, not paying attention as he glared at the waiting men. Once he felt Dysley leave his side, he stalked over, the air around him dark and agitated, making the area around all four of them even fouler to match their moods. "What?" Nocts huffed, getting straight to the point.

"I hear you're going on a camping trip, _outside _Luxerion," the tallest of his friends voiced, a scar cutting down his face.

"And we weren't invited," the blonde added with his own pout.

"Are you really going outside Luxerion?" his friend with glasses asked.

"Yes to all of them," Noctis stated, meeting their eyes.

"Noctis-"

"I don't want to hear it Ignis, not from any of you. I'm doing this on my own," he said sternly. Ignis quickly jumped back though, his tone scolding. "You're next in line to rule Lucis! Soon you'll have to appear before Bhunivelze to get his blessing for your rule, you can't just leave now!"

"Like I'll get a chance once I become king, I'll be grounded here," Noctis pointed out.

"What about your dad?"

"Gladiolus..."

"I'm serious Noct, he's already lost Aurora, does he really need to lose his son as well?" he pressed the prince, daring him. "Can you really do that? Just leave like this?"

"At least," the blonde piped, "with us, so we can make sure to bring you back."

"Prompto," he sighed, running a hand over his face, massaging his temples. "Neither of you were ever really close with Stella," he said patiently, "there's no reason for you to be involved at all." He breathed in. "And dad has accepted that this, already."

"Can you promise us that you'll even come back?" Gladiolus pressed.

Noctis paused, staring up at his friends, two which have been with him from the start, the other that has recently joined their group but fell naturally in with them. He thought about it, how they were always together, always at each others' backs. Ignis the strategies, always knowing where to put everyone in the battlefield, Prompto's knowledge of guns and his sniper eyes, never missing his targets and always watching and keeping up with everything, and Gladiolus' strength and sturdiness, always easily barreling through his opponents.

They always worked together, and worked well with one another. Noctis couldn't remember the last time he won a fight or spar without them. They were always with him to help, through thick and thin.

It'd make sense for him to take them with him, to have them at his side.

That's be another selfish deed to add to his growing list of selfishness. Leaving his father, his responsibility and future, just to kill monsters and die to join Stella... he couldn't drag them down with him, he couldn't throw their lives away like he was. Even with him gone, Ignis could easily fill his shoes and rule over Lucis. Its what ever adviser was trained to do if the royal line is suddenly cut, so long as he got Bhunivelze blessing, if not, Lucis would end and be divided out between the cities around it, expanding territories.

That could be happening to Tenebrae soon.

He turned away from the three of, ignoring their calls and shouts after him. When he heard the approaching, running steps of something running after him, he activated his magic and darted away; leaving them alone and disappearing from their sight.

He was sorry about this, about what was happening.

He was sorry for leaving them and his father, for leaving Lucis to an unsteady future.

He was sorry that it was coming to this.

But he couldn't go on with the knowledge that there were still l'Cie out there, that there were still murderers and monsters out there, threatening their god and Luxerion. He refused to ignore this information that Dysley so generously provided.

The only thing he could say at the moment was that he was sorry, and a final goodbye.

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**caius' sword is never given an official name, in some fanfics that i read with caius in it, he calls his blade ragnarok.  
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**you know, i almost wish ragnarok played another major role in FF13-2, like seeing caius or lightning turn into one. by its big part in FF13, i thought it would have at least made an appearance or have caius turn into one, that power certainly would have helped him get back at etro. ragnaroks appear to be just as strong, if not stronger, as the fal'cie, why not have that form as a goal to become? **

**but that's just me and my love for it and its awesome designs and the idea of it. **

**in Lightning Returns, there is a city that worships Bhunivelze called Luxerion, this factor greatly helped fiufio to move forward. i might even call Bhunivelze's whole entire kingdom/sanctuary Luxerion.  
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**i was a little torn when i was writing the second half, i didn't really know how to portray stella, did i want people to like her? to be suspicious of her? i didn't know... they say that stella won't be like any other female character FF has ever seen, personally i think that's Square Enix babying FF15 and putting high standards on it. there's no best FF game, they are all good, and they all have theirs downs. i'm not sure is FF15 will mindblown me, but i am eager for it, either way.  
**

**noctis' father, regis, was another tricky one to place. i saw him being a good father to noctis when he was a boy and another trailer when he's much older saying that he would be the last king of lucis. personally, i like the idea of him having a good father that wants what's best for him, so that's the role he'll have here in this story. **

**menrva is a fal'cie from FF13, but i liked her role in the game and design as a rukh, and i wanted her to come back and appear in this story; she might not appear a lot, but she'll be in it. **

**Aurora is latin for dawn, since we don't have a name for noctis' mother, i had to make one, i wanted to keep the sky theme as well as portray beauty and peace for her name**


	3. Chapter 3

**and as a reply to a Guest reviewer, i never knew or found any fics about noctis hating l'Cie and hunting them, i can assure you i didn't get the inspiration from that fic, i didn't even know there was one that existed O_o **

**originally, the first thought this fic had was that lightning was a bit of a bodyguard of sorts to noctis, and had wings similar to cid raines, then the thought shifted to noctis going out and trying to find a l'Cie that was lightning. **

**then it developed into this. **

**i really truly didn't know that there was another one that had the same plot idea, nor did i ever see one. **

**either way, i hope you find this one to be just as enjoyable.**

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**Ascenditur**

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**The Climb  
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For as long as he could remember, Luxerion was all he knew. It was Bhunivelze's large, large city, divided equally among favored human families to rule over. Many have risen and fallen through the years of Bhunivelze's rule, and it has come to six kingdoms, six sections of this grand city. Noctis knew them all by heart, from the blackest to the white: Lucis, Niflheim, Accordo, Solheim, Yusnaan, and Tenebrae the whitest...

That was Stella home, Stella's city...

He's been to each and every single one, some more than others, such as Tenebrea to mingle with the future queen of the kingdom. He saw their colors, their stone, their designs and shapes. He knew every part of Luxerion and has been in each of the kingdoms at least once. As prince, he was to branch out of Lucis, and see the other rulers, to see his fellow comrades and enemies as they all ruled Luxerion under Bhunivelze's bidding. For his whole entire life, Noctis thought Luxerion would be all that he would know. Sure, a little information of the outside world when he became a king, but Luxerion should be all that he'd know or care about. It was his home and his kingdom after all, there was no reason for him to leave.

Yet here he was, outside Luxerion, the first prince and human that got the god's blessing to leave. Whether it was to live or die, it remained to be seen. Despite the unsure fate, Noctis relished the feeling and the realization. Under his hands, he felt the cold earth that has never been touched; the grains fell away under his hand as he climbed, his boots skidding over the stones as he breathed in icy mountain air.

It was thrilling and frightening.

The air here was so different. It was clear and light, but at the same time heavy and thick, the smell of stones packed tightly on one another giving a stronger smell of earth than the prince ever knew. It was overwhelming how much power it had over him. It made his light and his mind clear. It made him feel alive and rejuvenated, and heavy with each step and heave he took of this air as he ascended up skywards, trying to find some way in.

His body ached and burned with each muscle he moved, unaccustomed to this way of travel. Going up, with no steps and only the edges of rocks to keep him secure on the mountain's side, it was dragging him down as gravity pressured him with every step, daring him to continue, to find the l'Cie. He was far from ready to back down.

But perhaps a break would help.

Sighing heavy as he slowly sat on a ledge, leaning heavily on the wall. Below him, he could see Luxerion, and the ring of sand that surrounded it, along the edges of the ring though, he saw trees, trees that weren't marked on Dysley's map. maybe it wasn't dated? With Menrva, Noctis always suspected that the High Priest used the bird to see the outside world at least, to map and record every change that went on outside; wouldn't that be something a priest should know?

Maybe he was just too comfortable in his city to care. Staring down at the beautiful city, Noctis took out one of his many bottles of water, moaning slightly as the cool liquid washed down his drying throat. Gazing down at his home, he was able to see it in a new light, something he was never able to see Luxerion as. With all the different shades of grey that made up the city, and all their own unique designs of buildings and lay out, it was still a marvelous sight to see in the morning light, glistening in hues of blue and purple to the prince's eyes. Even the large wall that surrounded Luxerion was a dazzling sight. He could have spent the day sitting here, staring down at his home and just soaking it in.

He was above the world.

He was above Luxerion, seeing it in a new light, in a distance, seeing all its colors in the light; maybe this was how Bhunivelze saw his city every day. See his pride and joy before him, his humans and followers safe in his walls and under his guidance. To see how far it came since the rejoice for humanity...

He wondered what Luxerion looked like when it first started. Was is small? It probably was. Did the people use the stones from this mountain? Where there trees that they could have used for lumber? Or was this desert really been around since humanities rebirth?

So many possibilities, and so little answers. The High Priest answered many to historians, but it was evident that he held back just as much.

The l'Cie were a perfect example.

No one knew anything about them, not till Dysley mentioned them...

Noctis perked up when a flash of blinding silver shot through the sky, looking up to see Menrva soar above him, climbing higher and higher in the sky, nearly hidden in the sun against her. Squinting his eyes up at her, he smiled slightly as he lifted his hand up, half waving to her, half blocking out the sun. He shouted up to her, trying to bring the familiar down to his side.

He guessed the High Priest sent her as a guide for him, to secure that he got up the mountain safely... mostly safe at least. Menrva is another addition to Dysley's blessings from Bhunivelze. The priest declared that the bird was an extension of himself, his thoughts filled hers and she acted out on those thoughts; often, to the prince's knowledge, Dysley used the bird to monitor all of Luxerion, to observe the rulers and see where the priest was needed most.

Royalty was always full of drama, as the priest told him countless times when he was a boy. He often joked that his job of monitoring was never done. Menrva helped make the job easier, and was also his messenger. With her being here, she must be here to guide him.

Screeching out, she dove down, diving and circling around him, peering down at him with her glinting blue grey eyes. Reaching out his arm, Noctis tried to tempt the owl to perch on his arm like he's seen her do for Dysley countless times. Only to be ignored as she flew up, going up the steep mountain side and landing on a looming ledge, peering down at him as she waited. Noctis scowled slightly as he dropped his arm and glared up at her.

Of course she was going to make him work.

Dysley seemed to be the only approachable immortal in all of Bhunivelze's servants. The bodyguard was merely intimidating and the bird simply cold, only caring about her master's will. Deciding not to test the latter's patience, just before she came down on him with her claws and beak, Noctis adjusted his straps, securing his pack and double checking to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind him. Once he was satisfied, he started his climb, grabbing every crack and ridge on the mountain side, pulling himself up towards the bird waiting above him, mindful of all the rocks and ledges above him.

With each reach and grip he held, his body strained to work, to keep him on Yaschas Massif as he climbed up towards Menrva.

They weren't kidding about massif in this mountain's name...

* * *

When he was able to scramble himself up on her ledge, ignoring her agitated squabbles and glare as he slumped against the wall, breathing hard and panting as he struggled to get his breathe, his limbs shaking from all the stress and strain he used. Not even his training pushed him this much, and when he started when he was fourteen, it was difficult then. Where his father strengthened his mentality and taught him magic, Cor Leonis, the head of the royal guard and his father's best friend, worked him hard physically, pushing him everyday.

All the running, the pushups, and sparring did little to prepare him for the struggle of climbing, with the air thin and cold, he could hardly catch his breathe, much less stop shivering. All the sweat the came from his strain felt like he was caot in a sheet of ice, opening his eyes and looking above, he saw that in another thirty to forty feet, he'd reach the snow that rested on top of the mountain. When Menrva jabbed at him to move, he jerked away from the bird, huddling up and shivering. "G-give me a mi-minute," he managed out, shivering slightly as his whole body ached.

Menrva screeched at him, crouching low, wings spreading-

"Don't!" Noctis said immidiately, flinging his arms out to stop to bird, only to quickly reel them back in, shuddering as the bird glared at him. "Gi-give me a b-bit before you t-take off..."

The familiar glared at him darkly before she took to the air, gliding around and into the mountain. Blinking in surprise that there was finally an entrance in, Noctis practically jumped up, nearly slipping on the ice and back down the mountainside. Making a hasty grab at the wall, Nocts still, watching a patch of snow fall down beneath his feet and going down, down, and down the mountainside, disappearing from sight. Licking his lips nervously, he clung to the wall, slowly creeping closer and closer to the hidden entrance. The opening was a large, slanted hole, big enough for a man to easily slip in, and in he went, following after the bird, and escaping the wind. Snow clung the edge of the entrance, crowding on every rock, hardening and frosting into ice. Carefully, Noctis slipped in deeper, looking up occasionally to try and find the bird.

Only for her to conveniently disappear just as he managed to get in.

Typical.

Huffing to himself, he slowly crept into the cave, listening for anything flutter of wings or a cry from the owl. The only thing he could hear was himself, the clatter of his boots as they hit the hard rock in, the squabble of loose stones that scattered under his feet, and his own heavy breathing in the icy cave. Thanks to the snow and ice that grew on the ground, light that reflected off filled and illuminated the cave for him to see, allowing him to move smoothly through it.

No matter how deep he went into though, he lost sight of Menrva. The bird seemed no where to be found. No silver of her fathers, no shiver of her form; it was almost like she never came in here at all.

Noctis brushed the feelings of unease away. It didn't matter if the familiar was here or not,what did was finding the l'Cie. He started the journey alone and it should end with him alone. Even if it didn't little to soothe the looming presence of solitude around him.

_Stop thinking about, _he griped to himself, sliding down when the path dipped into a large room with a forked entrance. _Just go forward, just keep going forward..._

Only he didn't know which forward to go. Staring at the forks in front of him, Noctis played with the possibilities as he wrapped his arms around himself, his pause allowing the cold, still air to creep past his clothes and to seep into his skin and spread through out his bones. Shivering, Noctis' eyes flashed red, his favorite weapon, a falchoin, appearing next to him, taking it, he jabbed it at the earth, marking his path. Dismissing the weapon and dropping his red eyes and returning them to blue, Noctis stared up at both the paths. Then he slipped into the right.

Unlike the rest of the cave, filled with light shining off the snow and ice, this cave was darker, jagged, and fully of cracks and full of holes. He frowned as he felt along the walls, using it to guide him. This wasn't like anything else in the cave so far; there was even a putrid smell in the air. When there was an odd sound among the stones beneath his feet, Noctis crouched down, feeling around and freezing when he felt a smooth curving rock beneath his fingers. Picking it up, Noctis slanted his eyes, flickering red to offer him some better sight.

It was a black, smooth, curving rock, with a sharp pointed tip... it looked more like a tooth than a rock...

Noctis stiffened when he heard a clatter, the sound of scales rubbing off the rocks, the clicks of claws scratching along the cave. Looking up, Noctis saw a large head appear, with a large jaw covered in spikes, with glowing beady yellow eyes lighting certain areas of its scaly face. Slowly its eyes turned towards him, those yellow eyes locking onto his.

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**Belua**

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**Monster**

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Noctis ducked to the side, flying out of the cavern and rolling to his side, just as the dragon like creature flew past him, screeching and hitting the opposing wall, dust and snow filled the air as it slowly turned, snarling at him. Backing up slowly, Noctis grimaced, with the head blocking the exit, and the tail filling the right entrance, the prince turned and flew down the left the path, the dragon's angry screech following after him, a rattle of scales and claws riding along the walls behind him.

Glancing back behind him, Noctis fired falchoin and a few other swords at the faeryl. He felt more than saw the blades sink into the dragon's hide, scraping its neck and digging into its chest. The weapons disappeared as the faeryl stumbled, snarling angrily. Turning sharply, Noctis flew, darting through the air and jabbing his falchoin at its head.

Only for the blade to bounce off, throwing him off slightly and he quickly teleported away just before it could trap him in its jaws. Cursing under his breathe, Noctis kept running, occasionally blindly throwing weapons at the beast, despite all the blades thrown its way, the dragon kept coming, relentless in its chase. He dodged, ducked, and dove into every crevice he could find, every time the tunnel curved, he went along with it, trying to loose the faeryl.

Why was it even here? Dysley told him that chances were slim that he would come across one! Gritting his teeth in frustration, he fired another round of his weapons at the faeryl, one of his blades actually dug into its eye, bringing the large reptile to a stop as it screamed, its voice loud and piercing, catching him off guard enough that he tripped and fell. Shaking his head and wincing, he looked back to see the dragon wreathing and raging, its head tossing around as it screeching, banging its head against the walls as it tried to get rid of the sword sunk into its eye, its claws uselessly sliding over the metal while it cut up the fearyl's skin every time it brushed along the edge.

Growling in pure frustration, the dragon turned back to him, its remaining yellow eye gleaming darkly. Noctis' eyes widened as it clicked that it was about to charge again. Looking ahead, he tensed when he saw that the only thing before him was a dead end. Cursing as he heard the dragon snarl behind, the rumbling heave of its body bouncing off the walls filling the cave and his senses as he frantically tried to think of a way out. The walls above him were smooth and towering, with pure darkness above, no chance for him to climb up, much less teleport, not without the risk of hitting a rock. Behind him, the fearyl was big enough that it blocked the whole cave, to a point he couldn't dart past it, not without avoiding its jaws and spikes.

Felchoin appeared in his hand as he braced himself for the charging beast, seeing no other option than to fight his way out. Breathing in, he waited, observing and watching as it moved. Time seemed to go slow, any and every sound was dull to his ears, the pound of its swaying body rocking long the walls, its endless of rage, his own breathing and heartbeat filling his head...

Noctis dove forward, crouching for speed as he charged at the faeryl, his falchoin gleaming, ready to bite the dragon's flesh.

Neither of the opposing parties were able to meet each other.

Before the faeryl could sink its teeth into him or him sink falchoin into the dragon, large long tentacles came out of the darkness, wrapping around the faeryl and prince and bringing them both up, leaving the falchoin Noctis dropped on the ground, disappearing into the air.

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Groaning as he woke, Noctis blinked, his head light and spinning as shadows flew past his eyes as a firm tentacle carried him up and up. Loosely gripping the rubbery skin beneath, he struggled to grasp his situation, the distant cries of the faeryl filling the cave air along with the rush of air going past him. Looking up he tried to see the dragon, but all he could see was darkness.

Above and past the fearyl, he could hear a voice grumbling out before the dragon's cries silenced suddenly and Noctis jerked when the large body of the dragon fell past him, catching a glimpse of its twisted neck just as it fell and disappeared. With a sudden jerk, Noctis was reeled up and held before one of the strangest creatures he's ever seen in his whole entire life.

"Well, well, well, what have we hear?" mused a large, giant, octopus...thing, with huge row of razor sharp teeth curving up into a curious smile as it studied him with large humored red eyes. Around it, a sea of tentacles curled and shifted about, the one that held Noctis brought him closer, turning him as it inspected him like a bored child checking out an undesired toy. "A human..." it mused aloud, his voice bouncing off the walls, filling Noctis' head. "How curious, I didn't know humans were allowed out."

An agitated noise came from the octopus as it gave him a dull look. "How disappointing though, you're a man... typical I get a muscle head instead of a _beautiful _woman... oh well." The octopus sighed, unfurling its tentacle and letting Noctis fall in the open air, going straight towards the darkness below him, ready to swallow him whole. He was just about to teleport to the ground and get as far away from that thing as possible, only for a tentacle to come out of nowhere, grabbing him and reeling him back, bashing his head hard against the tentacle, pulling him up fast and stopping jerkily in front of one of its large red eyes.

"Buuuut," the octopus mused, "even if you are a muscle head... there's still the matter that you're here." It drew him closer, Noctis lifting his head just in time to be bashed up against its large, rubbery body. Groaning, he nearly slumped in the tentacle, gripping it as it started to move again, allowing the creature to have a better look at him. "How curious that you are here...sure the snake should have eaten you up by now... its not like that muscle head to be lazy or miss a human. Did you see a snake muscle head?"

"Sn-snake?" Noctis managed out.

"You didn't see the snake?" the octopus sounded alarmed. "He didn't come after you?!" The octopus paled, shuffling back slightly. "If he comes here after you... he could think _I _was helping you! You stupid muscle head! You brought the snake here!" The octopus screeched at him, shaking him up.

"There's no snake!" Noctis snarled, his eyes flashing as he summoned an axe and aimed it at the tentacle holding him. The weapon bit hard into arm, and the reaction to it was immediate.

_"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"_

Noctis was dropped, the octopus curling away as dark blood flew everywhere, the other tentacles coming around to encircle it to nurse it. Noctis quickly darted to the side, clambering onto the wall to avoid the fall below him, though he nearly fell back a few times. Struggling to focus, he glared in the octopus' direction, listening as it squealed.

"That hurt! That hurt! That really hurt you stupid muscle head!" the octopus screamed, narrowing his red eyes at him. "I'll give you to the snake, I'll deliver you to him myself!" All his arms flew at Noctis, who could barely avoid them, deciding to stick with running up the wall, jumping and throwing his spear at it, intent on taking its eye.

It missed its mark, though not the target.

_"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! MY HEAD! YOU CUT MY HEAD MUSCLE BRAIN!"_

Noctis darted forward, appearing right where the spear was embedded, allowing it to shift into falchion before pulling out, jumping back and pushing off a near tentacle, pointing his blade straight at one of its eyes. Squealing, the monster turned its head just in time, saving its eye though it couldn't save the flesh that was four feet. Cursing, Noctis pulled falchoin out, ready to run over to that eye, only to stumble at a sudden lurch of imbalance, his head still light from all the rising and falling he's been going through. He barely caught himself from falling off its face; though he wasn't prepared for the tentacle that dived at him from behind, wrapping around his torso and flinging him across the cavern they were in.

Noctis flew, landing hard on the opposite side, screaming slightly as he felt the uneven rocks dig into his body, pressing hard at his bones. For the mere moment, he lay still, frozen with the sharp pain coursing through him as the octopus across from screeched and thrashed, the tips of his tentacles rubbing over the wound near his eye, trying to soothe it and stop the bleeding. While laying there, he heard cracks and creaks beneath him. Just as the octopus' glaring red eyes snapped in his direction, Noctis felt the floor start to give way under him.

_"I KILL YOU!"_ the monster bellowed, all its tentacles reaching for him, just as the floor broke out under him, engulfing him in darkness. The last light he saw was in the hole he fell through above him, filling up with reaching, curling tips of the monster's arms, its promising shriek following after him, a promise to find him.

For both eternity and for a short second, Noctis was weightless in the air, going through nothing but darkness, not even the light above him could be seen. For a moment, he wondered if he really was going to die. The rush of air around him tickled his ears, roaring enough that he couldn't even hear his own heartbeat; it was distracting to his thoughts. With the rush of air filling his senses and the pain in his back and side, Noctis found he could hardly think.

For the moment, he closed his eyes, just simply falling, trying to forget the pain he was feeling, and the slight, distant touch of disappointment. This was it? This was the end? Was he even close to ever finding the l'Cie? Or was that creature a l'Cie?

His eyes opened slightly, lazily considering. It mentioned a snake. Could that snake be a l'Cie. Weren't human looking? He didn't know anymore, and at the moment, he didn't care. His sides hurt and he was falling. Finding them was the last thing he cared about for the moment. For now, all he could hope was that Stella would be open and forgiving when he saw her next.

In an instant, he found he wasn't falling him anymore. Cold water hit him hard, freezing him in shock. Around him, the dark water curled and gurgled, bubbles rising and rumbling, around him. As he sunk, the water wrapped around him, seeping through his clothes, going down his throat, swallowing any air he had in him.

He was sure now that he was going to die, cold and drowned here in this water.

Something warm brushed against the back of his neck and he was jerked to the surface, gasping and choking on air. Looking through blurred eyes, in dim light, he managed to catch a glimpse of pale, silver hair and gleaming grey-ish blue green eyes of a slim, dark form, looming over him.

It was the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness.

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**Luxerion is one of the cities in Lightning Returns and it is full of Bhunivelze worshipers, which is why i'm calling it Luxerion. also in LR, the land is split up and divided into 4 sections i believe, and this idea inspired Luxerion being split up by certain cities that Bhunivelze placed his chosen kings to rule over.  
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**Yusnaan is another city that appears in LR and is ruled by Snow, its a place for people to forget reality and have fun; the rest of the cities are kingdoms in FF15. probably should have mentioned this last chapter but the kingdoms that made up Luxerion weren't mentioned besides Lucis so i decided to wait on that. **

**was anyone expecting ultros? ;3 **


	4. Chapter 4

**sorry this took a while was getting ready for the school year.  
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**personally i find this chapter to be... i don't know... bleh...? i don't think it'll be the best one so far, and that's probably due to the fact that i really didn't know how it would go and my head really wasn't in it; i just wrote and let the story shape itself. hopefully its good enough and still enjoyable ^^;**

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**Prealucente**

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**Guiding Light  
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Light flickered over his closed eyes, struggling to get a rise out of him as it relentlessly knocked on his lids. Squinting against the light and grumbling to himself, he rolled onto his side, trying to block out the scattered bits that gleamed down on him persistently. Trying to ignore the lights, Noctis tried to fall back asleep, listening the dip and ripple of water around him, along the creak and groan of the boat as it slid along the surface, gently rocking back forth.

It nearly lulled him back to sleep when it suddenly caught up in his tired mind that he was in a boat.

Jerking awake, he quickly closed his eyes at the blinding light around him. As his hands flew up to his head to steady himself, he felt another hand rest on his head, keeping him steady as he felt himself sway unsteadily, the area around him rocking shakily. Gently, that hand pressed against his head, slowly lowering him back down, Noctis finding himself willingly going down with it. As soon as he was laying back down, the hand disappeared and the dizziness mostly disappeared. Moving his hands over his eyes, he slowly opened them, letting light filter through the gaps of his fingers and allowing him to see, though he still had to blink a few times. When he could finally see past his fingers, he slowly drew them away, letting him get used to the full force of the light above.

All the while he could hear the shift and move of water, and the steady _thunk _of a pole hitting unseen rocks and moving them forward, the boat rocking gently along the waves. Much slower now he rose up, sliding up to the back and leaning against the wall, peering up at his savior through squinting eyes.

A large, black cloak; that was all that greeted him about the body, with silver hair shining on top as the light reflected off it. Noctis would have presumed that the being before him was a man if it wasn't for the lean arms that slid out of the cloak, gripping the large wooden pole, using it to push them through the water. Even if they were muscular, they were too lean and thin to be a man's.

A woman saved him.

Not quite sure what to say or do yet, much less think in his still groggy and dazed state; Noctis turned to his surroundings, taking the sight of where he was. In was in a cave, a long, tunnel like cave with water filling half of it, by the looks of it. Crystals were dotted on the wall and ceiling, glowing dimly as thy took in light from the small and few gaping holes where real, blinding light came through.

So that's what blinded him.

He jumped when the boat rocked slightly, something sliding up alongside it, scales going over the wood. He drew away, watching with wide eyes as a black, fin like sail rose up; pale, empty eyes peering at him from a round, wrinkled, fish like face full of sharp, needle like teeth. Before the creature could hiss at him, the pole came down, hitting its foreheard hard and forcing it under water, a skinny black tail disappearing underwater as it was shoved away.

"Terraquatics won't get in this boat, not unless you let them," a voice told him from above, making Noctis aware of his savior looming over him, the warmth of her body seeping out around him. Jerking slightly, he looked up to see his first human outside Luxerion. It was a woman, average height with a slim build. Her skin was pale, her hair glinting white, and her eyes a pale, grey, aqua. The cloak she wore was aged and torn, falling over her form and making her look like a phantom in certain lights.

With the creature shoved back under, she drew away, her icy eyes flickering down at him before she turned, sinking the pole back into the water and moving the boat forward.

"Who are you," he managed out, his throat dry and his tongue heavy. Despite his discomfort, he kept his eyes locked on her, watching as she glanced down at him from over her shoulder before turning away and peering ahead, moving the pole through the water and pushing them along. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she replied calmly. Noctis twitched at the answer, blinking at a sudden flare of light going over his eyes.

It bugged him how calm she was with his appearance. If someone fell out the sky in Luxerion, there'd be an uproar. Darkly, he looked up an down the tunnel, eyeing the water as he saw a flash of silver dart along the surface. "Stay in the center," she said, "otherwise they'll grab you and drag you under, and also tip this over. I'd like to avoid that thank you very much."

"What are they?" he asked, unconsciously scooting to the center.

"Terraquatics, large amphibious creatures, not the worst thing out there."

Noctis thought back to the faeryl and then the large octopus like creature, up here in the boat with the woman wielding the pole, it really was the least intimidating creature he's come across today. Didn't mean he was ready to swim with it. "Where are we?" he pressed on, keeping his gaze on the water. "Are we still at Yaschas Massif?"

The woman hummed to herself. "I'm surprised you know the name of this mountain. In a sense, we are, at the same time, not."

"Where are we," he repeated, glaring up at the woman darkly. The woman glanced at him before turning away, humoring him. "We are still in Yaschas Massif, only under it in one of many caverns we call Mah'habara Subterra, it branches out to many others, though most have caved in along the edges of Yaschas Massif."

"Who are you?" he asked again, glaring up at her. "You're a l'Cie aren't you?" he demanded, his magic automatically spiking at the thought. Dysley did say they appeared human and there was no way a normal human could survive outside Luxerion.

Before he could so much move, she moved swiftly, and he found himself hung over the edge, the boat tilting dangerously as she pressed the pole against him, his hair lightly brushing against the water surface. The woman loomed over him, impassive and calm, though there was an agitated glint in her eyes as she peered down at him.

"I saved your life," she stated, "I went out of my way to pull you out of the water, and you repay me with threats and accusations." She tilted her head as if she was thinking. "Since it seems you rather be anywhere than on this boat, how about you go back in the water with the terraquatics?" He tensed, his eyes widening at the blunt declaration, her words seeming summoning the beast as he could distantly hear them stirring beneath the surface, hissing and darting around, stray bubbles rising up and bursting against his neck.

"So, be grateful for being saved or swim with them."

Noctis bit his lip, glaring up at her darkly. The choice was obvious. He was sure he could handle these creatures, but with the mere thought of it, his body was heavy and sore and for a moment, he remembered the fight with the faeryl and the octopus. He couldn't handle them, not at the moment, especially in the water. The terraquatics would be on to him before he could do his first stroke.

Breathing in, he bit out, "I concede."

The woman accepted that. The pole retreated and a hand replaced it, taking his shirt and pulling him up, just as he heard a vicious _snap _follow after him, along with a rush of water. Safely pulled back into the boat, he looked back just in time to see a black fin cut through the water and disappear under, the realization of it brought a shiver to him as he saw how close he was. It just reminded him how much faster they were in water.

"You're from the sanctuary, aren't you?" the woman asked, bringing his attention away from the water.

"Sanctuary?" he asked.

"The place were the god Bhunivelze traps people."

"He didn't trap us!" Noctis exclaimed, rising to stand, only to topple back down, hissing as he landed on his butt. The woman hummed to herself, murmuring to herself as she settled down in the boat as well, letting it drift along the water. Straightening, she asked, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Noctis crossed his arms, scowling at her. "I'm looking for l'Cie."

"Why?"

"So they are here?"

"Why are you looking for them?"

"None of your business, unless your a l'Cie."

"They'll kill you."

It wasn't something he heard before. The bodyguard told him, his father told, his friends, even Dysley. It wasn't like he didn't know the possibility. He was well aware of that fact. He didn't need this stranger to repeat this to him.

For some reason though, hearing it from her made him uneasy, a real feeling of fear bubbling inside him. He heard that from people he knew and wasn't bothered by it. From this stranger though, it was as if she was sure, as if she knew he would be. That she knew something that they didn't. Living outside Luxerion, directly under Yaschas Massif and well aware that there are l'Cie here...

She probably did know that he'll die. She probably knew more than even Dysley could dream.

The thought dragged him down even more. He curled in on himself, leaning against his knees as he blindly stared down at the wood beneath. They really were going to kill him. He'd get to see Stella again... won't he? That'll be something for him to look forward too, won't it? And he'll be done with all the drama in the world, all the chaos...

He glanced up at the woman, seated across from him, silent and observing as she waited him out, letting him think. Occasionally, she would glance around, eyeing the water or looking down the cave where they came from. She was strange, by Luxerion standards, with her pale hair, and small yet powerful frame. In some light, he could even see scars etched over her arms. Only soldiers and those of royal blood had scars; commoners usually didn't, unless through an accident.

Was this woman a soldier? Someone important?

Were there others?

Did she have a home or just live in this cave?

Most of all...

"Are you a l'Cie?"

The woman stared at him, neither confirming or declining him. He safely presumed the former as she turned, grabbing the pole that rested on the boat, rising and pushing them along. "Why'd you save me?" he pressed. "Didn't you say that l'Cie would kill me?"

"My sister had a dream," she answered, making the prince perk up a dream? About him?

"She dreamed that I would one day have a man in my life."

Noctis scowled darkly at that. Him? With her? "I'd never get together with a monster."

"My thoughts exactly," she mused, a slight smirk in her tone. "Be as it may, it still doesn't change the fact that she did have a dream about a man. Good chance you are that man. Even if you come here with angry intentions."

"Then why have me around? Why not wait for someone else?" he asked.

"Beggars can't be choosers," she murmured, pushing hard against the rock, and letting the boat catch a current, carrying htem away. Noctis grabbed the boat as it lurched, tensing slightly. "Where are we going?" he asked uneasily as they went a little faster, the woman settling back down, though she still gripped her pole. "To Paddra," she said, glancing back at him. "You wanted l'Cie, you'll find them there."

"You're just going to take me there?!"

The woman sighed, turning and glaring at him slightly. "My sister had a dream, its never good to ignore her dreams." That was all she said as she faced back the way, using the pole to bounce them off along the walls, keeping them from hitting any rocks. Noctis glared at her back as he gripped the boat tightly, keeping himself grounded in, his eyes glinting red. This woman was crazy, and pretty much confirmed that she was a l'Cie. He'd start with her once they got to this Paddra. Even if she saved his life, it wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, he was sure of that. It was only because of her sister.

He didn't give a damn about her sister and her dreams.

L'Cie were monsters.

Killers.

They killed Stella.

They'll get what's coming to them.

* * *

Riding out the rapids, it wasn't long till Noctis started to see Paddra.

In the dim light, he could see it was a city made up stone, almost carved out the mountain itself, with a rocky bank awaiting them. While the l'Cie slid them off the current and towards the city, Noctis observed it, finding it to be different than any other city he's seen in Luxerion. The cities in Luxerion all varied. Lucis was black with towering, concrete building, Accordo was made and stood over water, and so on.

Here it was entirely carved out of and shaped by the stone. Buildings curved, some out and some inwards, making them look like hourglasses, windows were glassless and gleamed out brightly by candle light, some Noctis could see as some rooms and homes loomed over the water.

The woman stopped the boat, making it jerk slightly and bringing Noctis out of his stupor. Rising, she half halfheartedly waved towards the city. "Welcome to Paddra," she offered, "home of l'Cie. I suggest that when you reach the city shores, tell the first l'Cie there that you were sent by Light."

"I will," Noctis promised, rising himself, his eyes glaring red. "I'll was sent here by light after all, by Bhunivelze!" While the woman rolled her eyes, Noctis dove at her, his falchoin appearing in his hand. He took satisfaction seeing her eyes widen as death came straight at her, making him smirk confidently. Just as he was bringing falchoin around to swipe through her torso, she jumped into the air, leaving him to swipe at empty air.

Before he could react or draw back, she came down, kicking her feet against his back and into the water while she landed gracefully back in the boat. As cold water surrounded him, his concentration broke and falchoin left him, and Noctis quickly swam back up to the surface, gasping for breath. Blinking water out of his eyes and shaking his wet bangs away to keep them clear, he slowly looked behind him to see the woman loom over him, looking far from impressed as she stared down at him with amused eyes. "Look out for terraquatics," she offered, taking her pole and sinking it back into the water. "And remember to mention you were sent by Light. Might save your life, if you still care. Good luck stranger."

And with that, she left him in the water, pushing her boat down and along the way, never looking back.

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**Capio**

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**Capture**

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Noctis cursed relentlessly as he pushed through the water, the waves moving him forward and then pushing him back as they bounced off the shore, like they couldn't make up their minds whether to get him to Paddra or push him away. Thankfully, no more terraquatics have yet to appear but he didn't want to wait any more in the water to find out. Gritting his teeth, Noctis forced himself through the water, ignoring the indecisive waves and simply pushing himself forward.

He tried a few times to just zip through the water and dart out, but he couldn't just get his feet on anything sturdy that would push him to the beach. So for the moment, Noctis swam through the water, keeping his eyes locked on the bank, searching for any l'Cie drifting up along the rocky shore.

Or for anyone really, it was confirmed that l'Cie looked human by his first sight of that woman. Every other person he sees here will be a l'Cie.

_"They'll kill you."_

Noctis ignored her voice as it whispered to the back of his mind. Instead he focused on grasping the stone beneath his hand and pulling himself up. He knew that they were. That this wasn't going to end with him walking away and returning to Luxerion as a new man. Despite what his father hoped and his friends waited for, Dysley already knew his fate.

As did he.

He wasn't coming back. Prince Noctis was going to die this day.

_"...mention that you were sent by Light... might save your life."_

Noctis growled at the back of his mind and at the coming memory of that woman's voice. Why was it so important? Why did her words keep coming back? What did it matter? He accepted the turn of events... didn't he?

Brushing his thoughts away, he pulled himself up, climbing up the bank slowly. Tender muscles rippled anxiously, aching with pain he momentarily forgot. The pain of his fight and the push of his body running and dealing with the fearyl and octopus, caught up with him as he slid up to land, slumping to the ground, choking on air as his body trembled slightly.

There wasn't any of these aches or pains when he was with the woman earlier. Did she have something to do with it?

Of course she did.

He didn't know how or why, but she took the pain he should have felt away, at least, for a while. Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the rigid roof of the cavern before close his eyes and reaching out for his magic. It flared inside him, spreading out from the core of his soul and seeping throughout his body. Every bruise and sore faded away as his magic lightly touched all his pain. When he let the magic fade, he felt like a new man, revived and healed, though he did have a slight headache from its use.

Thankfully his falchoin doesn't call for a lot of magic, he'd be pushing it if he darts around though, something to keep in mind for him.

Rising up and habitually straitening his attire slightly, even if it was beyond saving at this point, all torn and smeared. Turning around, Noctis eyed Paddra once more, taking in the hollowed out city of stone, looking up and along the ridges and around the shadows, trying to spot any being that would be lurking around, only to see no one. Tugging at his shirt, he slipped towards Paddra, keeping his steps light and making sure he blended with the shadows around him.

This was it.

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Paddra looked the same inside its walls, only everything was bigger and loomed over him and to his still struggling eyes, certain rock formations twisted into intimidating forms. Most didn't have a specific appearance, though once he swore he saw a four headed dragon looming over him, watching him pass.

So far with only life like rock formations making him queasy with every turn, he saw no signs of life. It was as if Paddra was dead and there was no one in the city. According to the woman, this was where l'Cie lived, shouldn't he have at least seen one? He knew even in Luxerion, no matter the time of day, there was always at least one person out and about.

Then again, these weren't people, these were l'Cie. Who knew how their mind worked or how their days went.

Not that he cared.

But still, no sight of any person around as he walked down the empty stone streets; Noctis got uneasy as he walked steadily by himself, half expecting something to drop out of the sky and come tear him to pieces. He was sure that they were here, in every open window, he could see candle light flaring, illuminating the world. Candles didn't light themselves, and did burn out after a while.

Someone had to light those candles.

A few tmes he thought about shouting out, just to see what attention he could bring. He decided against it though. No need to make his presence known unless he had too. He wanted to kill some of them before they got him. So walking down the street, he kept as silent as a mouse, keeping to the shadows and looking for any life in Paddra.

Turning a near corner, he froze, a slight gasp escaping his lips at the sight.

For a minute, it looked like he was in a stone version of Accordo.

Now Accordo was one of the most beautiful city in Luxerion, with gleaming water all around and the city itself built on top, this sight before him was similar, though there wasn't as much water as Accordo has. Paddra was still under the mountain and at the same time, it wasn't. There were gaps and cracks in the sky, letting him see a clear view of the calm night sky. The buildings were similar to the ones that he walked into, though not all had a piece of the mountain stretched out and loom over it. The cityscape before him was full of rise and dips as well, with stairwells weaving through it the grounds, some bridging over water that ran like rivers throughout Paddra. And out in the distance, past all the buildings, Noctis caught his first sight of the desert Dysely mentioned to him, spread out like a pale sea before his eyes.

The beauty of it was all he could register at the moment.

So when a heavy brush of hot air slid past him, he jumped, turning around sharply and looking for his next foe to fight. At first glance, he saw nothing though. Only the dark, sleeping city of Paddra behind him, nothing jumping out at him as his next big fight. The only thing was the familiar sight of the four headed dragon looming above, perched on a ledge.

Staring at the dragon, he slowly drew away, eyeing the shape of the dragon suspiciously. Out of all the formations he's seen rocks creature, some more accurate than others, none were ever repeated. Could the dragon be...

"Who are you?" a voice rang out, a deep, warning growl sweeping through the air and breaking Noctis' thoughts. Looking below the dragon and into the shadows, Noctis watched as they shifted, a man slipping out of the darkness, his eyes flaring a dangerous white, much like the bodyguard...

Brushing the thoughts aside, Noctis locked on the approaching man, noting all the details that came with the stranger. His skin was an olive tan, with contrasting silver hair sweeping around his shoulders, some held in a neat ponytail and bangs hovering around his face, hiding his features well with the shadows. Like the woman, he wore a dark cloak, though this one wasn't as torn up as hers was. In the stray gleams of moonlight, it looked new.

"Answer my question," the man growled out, stepping out of the shadows and drawing closer, Noctis catching the gleam of a blade sliding out. Noctis acted instantly, he dove at the man, coming at him in a flash of white, falchoin automatically in his grip and swinging at him. The man easily caught falchoin with his saber, using only one hand, a look of surprise on his face as his white eyes met Noctis' red ones. Only for them to narrow, cold confirmation in his white eyes.

With an easy shove of his single arm, he pushed Noctis back, the prince skidding slightly.

"A stranger then," the man mused, diving back at him, Noctis barely had time to raise falchoin up to block, jerking at the sudden force of the collision. Blades crossed, the man leaned closer, hissing out, "and the worst kind, a human." With an easy shove, the man threw Noctis back again, sending the unprepared prince tumbling back, skidding over the hard ground and scraping up his already bruised skin. Gritting his teeth, Noctis opened his eyes just in time to see the man diving straight at him, his saber poised to kill. Noctis pushed himself up, barely escaping the deadly swipe before coming back down. The man drew away, not before Noctis' blade bit into his shoulder.

Not enough to slow him down, but still the prince smirked at the slight successes. Even more so with seeing the man's shock. Taking advantage of his surprise, he dove at the man again, his falchoin grazing his chest.

In his rush of eagerness, the prince was careless, leaving him open for the l'Cie to slide his saber into his side. Gasping at the fiery hot pain flaring at his side, Noctis quickly drew away, gripping his side and leaning heavily on his falchoin. Glaring up at the l'Cie, he saw the man merely scowling at his own bleeding wounds like they were nothing more than mere bothersome scratches.

Glaring back at him and leaning back, ready to dive back at Noctis, the l'Cie shouted out. "How'd you get past Ultros? The snake?" In a flash he was infront of Noctis, the prince barely bringing falchoin up to block him. "More importantly," the man mused, pressing harder and harder down on the prince, "how'd you get in Paddra?"

Noctis gritted his teeth, trembling under the sheer force the l'Cie was putting on him, using only one arm, hardly noticing the blood seeping down his chest and arm. "Well," he pressed, pushing Noctis down to his knees. "How'd you get in Paddra human? There's no way you could have gotten by Ultros, much less the snake."

"I don't know any snakes," Noctis bit out.

"So he can talk," the l'Cie mused, his saber slipping past falchoin and biting into his shoulder. "So no snake? How odd, what about Ultros?" The l'Cie leaned down, glaring at him with smoldering white eyes. "I'm surprised a _human _got passed him. L'Cie no problem. But a _human?!_" The man sneered. "That mass of purple if getting old."

...The octopus?

That was Ultros?

Noctis was shoved back, hitting the uneven stone wall hard and stunning him, the agony of feeling each and every stone bash right into his back and bruising the bone, he could only lay there still, slumped against the stone. Smiling down at him, the l'Cie drew near him, murmuring to himself. "Not much of a talker over all are you?" He held his saber close to Noctis, peering down at him. "It would be useful to know how you got here, but at the moment, I guess it really doesn't matter, especially if you're going to be the only one." The saber rose up, its blade gleaming. "This will all end when your dead."

The saber came down, going straight for the prince's still throat.

"Light."

The blade paused, inches from his throat.

"What?" the l'Cie demanded, gawking down at Noctis.

The words left the wary prince's mouth, barely aware that he uttered them as he voiced. "Sent by... light."

"You were sent by light?" the man repeated, his grip on the handle tightening as his eyes flared angrily. "Light sent you?!"

Noctis couldn't answer as his eyes fell close, all the stress, drama, and pain dragging him down and out of consciousness.

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**this should be the last time noctis passes out... at least for a while X)**

**originally noct was conscious when lightning saved him and for some reason he didn't suspect she was a l'cie though originally, he didn't know that l'cie looked human... now that i wrote out that he does, it actually took me a while to figure out how he and lightning would interact since he suspected l'cie look human. **

**so it was hard to figure out how they would interact in this chapter and even still i feel like its an... eh chapter. might come back to this some time later, though not right now. **

**now i'm going to try and keep the land as close to the original FF13 game as possible, but i will have some changes since time did move and the land changes with it. pardon me if i have locations mixed up or out of place, its supposed to be loosely based off the FF13 world in the future. **

**as for how lightning and the others will act, expect them to be wiser and also some drastic changes in view and personality, though most will stay the same. these guys have been around for a long time after all, time changes a lot in a person. **

**i want to go to accordo, i saw a picture of it and just wow, that is a pretty kingdom. it was just, wow. **

**also, expect to see a lot of eidolons, ones that i wish we saw and were expanded on with the 13 series**


	5. Chapter 5

**get ready to see some familiar faces ;3  
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**this scene here i actually ran over and over in my head, most repeating the same thing, so this part was an eager and easy write ^^ actually started this not long after the last update so i've been writing to get this done before monday since that's when school starts for me.  
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**as a heads up, this chapter is more meant for conversation**

**also, with school coming up, expect updates to be slower or to take a while. i'll try to keep up the post though, i won't forget this or any other story. so i'll be writing when i can. **

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**Bule**

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**Council  
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Inside the buildings, Noctis found them to be as stony as their exterior. The walls were uneven and full of natural cracks that only skimmed along the surface. If anything, to the prince, it was like they made a cave fancy. In a sense, they successfully did. They left the stone alone, leaving its own natural beautiful to aline the ways, the only thing to change it was the occasional candle lit up and glowing dimly along the walls, giving him plenty of sight in the hall.

The beauty of it did little to charm over how ominous it was though.

The hall was empty and the only sound to be heard were his and his guards droning steps going down it. Finally bored with staring at the wall, Noctis glanced back at his guards, again sizing them up before they sent him a look to focus on ahead. For the moment he humored them and turned back ahead, though he couldn't stop himself from mentally scoffing at them.

They didn't even have him tied up, his hands free, his magic revived, and his wounds healed. He could escape... or try too. There were no windows in this hall, on the long, straight path and ahead and behind, and the two l'Cie behind him, walking him along. Though he was aware that everyone's fighting level was different, he was decided to safely assume that each l'Cie was stronger than him.

For the moment, he decided to humor them and see where fate took him with the l'Cie. The man he fought didn't kill him like he expected. When Noctis woke he was in a fancy cell that looked more like a guest room with a cold tray of food waiting for him on a marble grey table, in the middle of the room near the bed he laid on. Next to his bed was a window that allowed him to look out over Paddra, the stone city bathed in bright morning light. He spent an hour in a complete daze just staring out at the city till one of his guards came and declared that it was time he met with the council.

L'Cie had a council. He wondered if that meant they had one specific ruler as well. Every kingdom in Luxerion had a council, though they were more advisers for each king and queen, usually always divided amongst themselves, trying to persuade the regent to their side. Noctis remembered he used to grimace at the thought that he would someday be dealing with those men.

Now at this moment, he wasn't sure if he ever would.

Voices rippled through the air and Noctis looking up to see that they were approaching a door at the end. As they drew closer, he could hear all the different voices inside. Most were men and there was only one woman's voice that he could catch. Most talked calmly though there was an occasional sneer, and that was mostly coming from the woman by the sounds of it.

Noctis had to hold in his sigh. Noble women could be worse than men sometime, especially the few he met on the council. They were either the greatest or the worst addition. "Any suggestions for me?" he asked the two l'Cie behind him as they stopped by the door. They glanced at him blankly before one slid by him, grabbing the door handle.

"Don't speak unless spoken too," the other offered.

Eyes locked ahead, Noctis watched as the l'Cie opened the door, all voices becoming hushed as the l'Cie announced his presence.

_"Let him in."_

The doors were pushed wide open as he was pressed into the room by the l'Cie, quickly closing the door behind him and leaving him in a large, circular room. Stepping inside it slowly, Noctis eyed the room and the people inside. Three gaping holes were spread out on the roof, allowing natural light to filter through giving Noctis clear sight of the council. Over all, most of the faces were the same. Their eyes glinted off the light, casting curious and cold stares his way, judging and calculating. Meeting their eyes, he saw that most of them were quite young, or so they looked.

Starting with the left, Noctis saw a pale woman with the longest blonde hair he's ever seen, her eyes the coldest of them all. Next to her was the man he came across in Paddra. Next to the man was a pale man with dark hair and glinting amber eyes that shined against the light.

The seat next to him was empty.

The next council member made Noctis start a bit, this member was the oldest of them all, unlike the rest which looked to be in their twenties and thirties, this man looked like he could be in his forties, maybe even fifties. The biggest thing about this man was that he looked a lot like Ignis, only older. He had the same hair, only tinged gray instead though he could still see some brown hairs, and he even wore similar glasses that his friend had.

For a moment, it made him think of what he was going to miss. He'd never get to see Ignis grow this old, for his hair to grey as his eyes sharpened with experience. He'd never get to see Gladious take over the royal guard from Cor Leonis, he wouldn't even get to see where Prompto's own life would take him once he finally set a course for it.

He wouldn't see his father or Leon age like this... or maybe they already did.

The man held himself much like his father did, staring at him with similar eyes. Uncold and open, willing and patient; even with his son...

Noctis quickly ripped his gaze away, deciding to finish the curving line.

A tanned man sat, his blue eyes more curious than cold, and his thick brown hair was a lazy mess, curled around his shoulders and hanging around them. Next to him were two dark skinned men, with the same curious and open eyes as the tanned man next to him had; only one was broader while the other was skinnier, darker in color, and with...round hair?

What was with these l'Cie and hair?

"You may sit if you wish," the broad man offered to him, nodding to a chair that was placed in the center, open and waiting for him. Nocti stubbornly stood.

A throat cleared and all eyes shifted to the woman, glaring down at him as she rested her chin on her interwinded fingers, long, pointed nails gleaming in the light, as if threatening Noctis that she would use them. "Shall we get started?" she mused aloud, her voice melodic, pleasant, and misleading. Noctis heard that sort of tone a lot around many other noble women.

"Farron has yet to arrive," the amber eyed man stated, glaring at the woman, his eyes becoming bright against his dark hair falling in front of his face.

"If Farron really cared she'd be here by now," the woman bit out, trying hard to hide the snarl in her tone.

"Easy Nabaat," the broad man bid, leaning back with a calm smile, like there was nothing wrong with the world. "We all know Farron, she's never late, and if she is, she has her reasons."

"Probably sister related," the woman, Nabaat scoffed.

"Hey don't go picking on Serah Nabaat," the tanned, brown haired man growled, glaring at her. "Must I remind you who does most of the work keeping-"

"You say that like she's the only one that does all the work, the council doesn't count? The rest of the people? And keep you rmother shut Raines, I don't want to hear this from you as well."

"We really couldn't do much without Serah-" the round haired man started to say, only to be cut off by the older Ignis.

"As much of an advantage Serah is to us, we are nothing without everyone. That is something I like to believe that we can at least agree on. For now I'd like to press on the matter at hand, if I can have all of your attention."

The council all murmured their agreements and apologies, all eyes once again locking on the observing prince. "A human has entered Paddra," the elder said, "he has gotten past the snake and Ultros." Most of the men in the room perked up at this, eyeing him with new curiosity and dare he say respect? The woman and the silver haired man glared at him darkly at his _accomplishments_.

"As impressed as most of the soldiers in this room are, it doesn't change out concerning this is," the older Ignis went on, meeting each and every other council member's stare. "As much as I'd love to have Farron here, we must press on. By the sounds of it, she's is already aware."

Noctis arced a brow at that. This Farron was already aware? What did that mean?

"Young man," the older Ignis offered, peering down at him, "if you give us your full cooperation, it would put things in favor."

"And what sort of favor would that be?" Noctis asked, narrowing his eyes at the l'Cie, only he couldn't bring himself to fully glare at him. Nabaat spoke, breaking his torn thoughts. "I could just kill you now and we can be done with it," she offered, smiling as she curled and stretched her fingers as if they were claws.

"We still need to know how he got to Paddra," the ambered man stated in scolding tone.

"And how he got past the snake," the browned man, Rygdea piped, leaning forward as if he was trying to get a closer look at him. "Ultros I can see, but the snake? Even l'Cie have a hard time getting past him."

Just what was the snake? Dysley never mentioned it, but everyone outside Luxerion was. Apparently it was a big deal. "How did you get past the snake?" the old l'Cie asked.

Noctis kept quiet, eyeing the council, baiting to see what they'd do. He was going to get killed anyway, he could see that Nabaat was itching to jump out of her seat and go at him. Even more so than the silver haired man observing quietly beside her. "Well young man?" the elder repeated, sounding like he was scolding a child. "Answer human," Nabaat growled out.

Silence was thick and heavy in the round room as Noctis rebellious kept his mouth shut, watching and waiting to see what they would do to get him to talk. Nabaat was getting tense, looking ready to pounce while the rest merely frowned down at him. "Was there a silver bird?" a voice asked him from behind, making Noctis jump and whirl around, his eyes widening at the familiar sight of the woman on the boat that brought him here. Only her hair wasn't white like he thought, it was pink... a pale, almost white, pink...

What was it with l'Cie and hair?!

Eyeing him with pale aqua eyes, the woman tilted her head, humming to hersel as she slipped past him, going up a few steps on Nabaat's side and taking her seat between the amber eyed man and the older Ignis. Most of the men smiled familiarly to her, Rygdea voicing, "Glad you could finally join us Light."

Light?

_"...Tell them you were sent by Light, might save your life..."_

Don't tell him that the whole time he was with an important l'Cie...

"I don't think he saw the snake," the woman, Light, Farron, whoever she was stated, glancing down at him then at her colleagues. "There was no recognition in his eyes," the amber eyed man beside her agreed, glancing down at him. "No one that meets the snake can keep _that _straight a face."

"You think the silver bird might have something to do with this?" the older Ignis asked.

"When does it not," the amber eyed man grumbled darkly.

"I'm wondering something," the broad man voiced. "Has it ever crossed anyone's mind that who this kid is might have something to do with this? What else is there to know besides being a human in Paddra-"

"-and searching for l'Cie," Light finished.

They all stared down at him again, Noctis glaring back and crossing his arms defiantly. Nabaat scoffed again, "Who he is doesn't matter, its the how he got there that does, doesn't it? Lets just torture the answers out of him and be done with it. Leave it to me, I can get everything tonight," she promised with a charming smile.

The man with the round hair grunted, "Nabaat, not even Etro would be as cruel."

"Even Etro did what she had to do, all of us did, no matter how cruel it was," she bit back. "Humans don't belong in Paddra, not then, and definitely not now. If we can't get answers from him fine; we kill him off and if more come, we kill them off. Soon it'll be enough that they'll never again come back here."

"Yeah, maybe for the next couple hundred years," the round haired man pointed out. Noctis subtly shifted about as he listened, his legs getting tired from standing. Glancing down at the chair, maybe he will sit in that chair if this kept going. Slowly, he sat in it, staring up at the l'Cie as they debated, the round haired man finishing up.

"-curious, they'll always come back."

"It won't matter since it'll always be the same," Nabaat declared.

"Or it could be avoided entirely," the silver haired man said for the first time in this room. Nodding to Noctis, he pressed, "This human got past the snake, unintentionally or not. We don't have to simply rely on the snake or Ultros, but we could change the tunnels, destroy some, recreate. We could even add more monsters to make this mountain even more discouraging. Surely there has to be more to add than faeryls."

"Not the behemoths, Fang would throw a fit," Rygdea voiced.

The silver haired man scowled. "I'm sure she could live without those behemoths, besides, they run at the sight of her, we might be doing them a favor."

"Where was it ever recorded?"

The whole room hushed as they all peered up at the older Ignis, his hands clasped as he stared down at Noctis, his eyes distant as he played with possibilities that had yet to cross the others mind.

"Pardon Estheim?" Nabaat asked slowly, maybe even timidly. His eyes turned cold as he met her stare, almost as if she was the human among the l'Cie. "Where?" Estheim asked, when he got no answer, he quickly elaborated, his tone sharp and his tongue lashing. "Where was it ever recorded that a human couldn't live in Paddra?"

The other two older members perked, both being the darker men. They glanced at each other then at the older l'Cie. "You sure about this Bart?" the man with round hair asked.

"Wait..." Rygdea spoke, saring among hte members, "you're not meaning..."

"The first thing this human did was attack me!" the silver haired man snarled. "You make it too tempting," Light offered, smirking at the glare he sent her.

"From my understanding," Esteim said, silencing them, "you came here with malevolent reasons; reasons we still have yet to grasp. And by your silence, you intend to take them to the grave. For this reason, we can arrange the possibility, but it sill won't change the mystery o how you got here and why.

"Another matter is that your young. Too young to go throwing your life away. I've seen too many like you that have fallen to such fates. I nearly even lost my son." Esteim breathed in shakily while Noctis blinked at the information presented to him. He had a son? L'Cie could have children and families?

For now, I want you staying here in Paddra. If you came here seeking monsters, I expect that much from the sanctuary as well. Stay here and interact with your monsters. If all is successful, we'll both be getting freedom that we've so longed for."

"You want me to live here?" Noctis finally spoke, his voice cutting at the thought of leaving around the l'Cie. "So the kid can talk," he distantly heard the broad man whisper. This wasn't supposed to be how it went. He was to be given to Nabaat or, or...

"What we want is freedom. To live, to die, and not having to hide. Even your people long for it."

"My people are free," Noctis growled.

All the l'Cie gave him a look, their eye brows raised as they stared at him knowingly. _Were they really?_

"You know Bart," the broad man mused, "this might be a good idea. Something we all need." The man with the round hair nodded, smiling brightly. "Yeah, I think so too, it'll be interesting either way. Maybe fun."

"Maybe not for the guinea pig," Rygdea noted.

"We're all guinea pigs in this Rygdea," the amber eyed man pointed out.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Light declared.

"Same for stupidity," Nabaat hissed, "are you listening to yourselves?! All the stakes you are putting on this human! He doesn't even want to be here, he'd rather be dead than here, I can see it in his eyes. He'll be the death of us, not salvation. Surely you agree with me Rosch?"

"I can understand your point Nabaat," the silver haired man eased, "I enjoy the power as much as you, but I'm tired of seeing the years go by. If all of you think this human will change things, then by all means, use him, try and find some sense of normalcy with him." His eyes slid over to Noctis, glinting white. "One step out of line and I shall him torn apart."

Noctis instinctively tensed at that.

"Alright," Estheim called out, hushing any more disputes or words. "We are all agreed, the human shall live in Paddra. He'll be our first step to freedom. Lightning," he turned to the pink haired woman, "you were the first to find him?" When she nodded, he went on, "Then I want you to be his guardian while here."

"Guardian?!" Noctis exclaimed, shocked, angry, appalled, and completely at a lost. He wasn't the only one that looked concerned with the choice as the amber eyed man next to her stared at Estheim like he's crazy. When the man opened his mouth to protest, Estheim merely raised his hand to silence him, his eyes locked on Light.

"With the success you had with Hope, I trust you to take equal care of this human." He turned to Noctis. "Lightning will make sure no harm befalls you, and keep you from causing harm. Am I clear young man?"

Noctis didn't respond, to busy trying to grasp this turn of events. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Estheim sighed at the silence, turning to Lightning and nodding to her. "Good luck."

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**Domum**

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**Home**

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Eyes followed them relentlessly as Noctis followed Lightning through Paddra, the city more awake and alive the last time he was in it. Other l'Cie were up and about, and most, if not all, stared him as they walked by, making him aware more aware of how they weren't humans. Off hand, most looked like humans, though there were odd characteristics that separated them. Most had odd hair in every shape and color, different skin tones, and open, strange clothes. They all also had strange white marks on their bodies, all on found in different areas, though most were on their arms and shoulders.

He could never get a good look at each mark he was able to see, but each one stuck out like a sore thumb against their skin, the solid white mark almost looking like a brand...

"Keep up," Lightning warned, not even looking back as she relentlessly moved through the crowd. Grumbling, Noctis did speed, frowning when their eyes kept following him. "Is it really that obvious that I'm human?" he asked when he was caught up to her, matching her speed and keeping close.

By how they stared at him, it was almost like one of them was going to come after him...

"You are," Lightning confirmed, glancing back at him, then past him towards the people. She slid closer to him, grabbing his wrist and dragging him at a faster pace, making the prince stumble slightly as he struggled to keep up. "H-hey," he hissed as she pulled him along, dodging people and weaving through the stone buildings. "You call a lot of attention," she stated bluntly. "And not the good kind." Noctis looked back just in time to see some dark looks among the curious stares.

"They know your human," Lightning went on, "not everyone will be nice about it."

"Noted," Noctis murmured, remembering Nabaat and the silver haired man, Rosch. Lightning stopped then turned a sharp left, still dragging him along. "Where we going?" he asked, glaring at the back of her head, biting his lip to keep from sighing. He really didn't know what to think about this turn of events.

"To our home," she said, dropping his hand when they reached a familiar river and walking down alongside it. For a mere moment, he didn't follow, rubbing his wrist as the warmth of her hand still clung to his skin. Looking away, he stared down the river, staring up its current and seeing the entrance that she had slipped them both through. He thought about it, going the opposite way, climb his way out and try to get back to Luxerion, to Dysley and his life he supposedly left.

There were only those terraquatics, octopus, and the climb down and to Luxerion...

He turned, meeting Lightning's knowing stare as she stood a few feet away from him, watching him. She could catch him easily if he bolted. She might not even go after him. With no pathway along the water, he'd have to swim with the terraquatics. She may not save him again, even with the council's orders. There was a cold warning in her eyes, tempting Noctis to dive right in. With a huff though, he followed after her with as much dignity a prince could have in this situation.

Lightning rolled her eyes as she turned away and continued to follow the river as Noctis followed after. The heavy hiss and grunts of the water sploshing against the rock bank and drawing away filled the silence between them and sucking them both into their own muse. By the sound of water, Noctis relaxed slightly as he listened, almost imagining that he was at Accordo and its endless sea of waves it was built upon. The only thing that escaped making that dream a reality was the sun. The light was dim here, there were no gaps in the cieling to give him any sight, and the crystals grew across the bank at the entrance. There were some on this side, but over all, it was still fairly dark.

Dark enough that he had to watch his step a few times, nearly tripping a few times. Looking up at his guard, he could faintly see, walking through this darker part of Paddra easily.

_To our home, _she said. Who would have a home in this dark place? It looked more fitting to be a dungeon than a home.

The woman suddenly stopped, turning to him. "You'll be blinded for a minute," she told him and Noctis frowned at her looking past her to see that they were at a gate. A simple wooden gate, easily hidden in the shadows. "Most l'Cie don't like coming back here," she said, "till Paddra has become more... tolerant of you, we'll be going the back ways for a while." Her hands slid along the door, finding the latch. "You may want to close your eyes for a bit."

And then she slid it open, white, blinding light glaring out as she opened the door. Noctis barely had a chance to close his eyes when they were enveloped in its white, hot light. He jumped slightly when he felt her hand lightly take his, pulling him into the light and feeling warmth glide over his skin. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Home," she said, dropping his hand. "Open your eyes when your ready." And with that, her steps faded away, leaving him alone for a moment. He breathed in, smelling the water and the clear air around him, hearing the ruck of falls closely. Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking as he adjusted to the light.

He quickly caught sight of what she referred to as "home". It was one of the stranger buildings he's seen in Paddra. By the shape of it, it reminded Noctis a bit of a peanut. A big stony peanut, with a little less than half of it stretched over water, he even saw that there was a deck stretched out from it, expanding to a pool that was stretched out aside the river where the current was weaker. Looking past the strange house, he stood in slight awe once again at the sight of Paddra laid out before him. Lightning's home was perched on the upper level of the city, on the outskirts of it with a waterfall falling a good thirty feet from the home. And unlike the rest of the bank which was solid rock, there was sand here making it easier on the feet; she even had a few trees planted around the area, with flowers sprouting around the roots and stretching out.

This was where he was staying?

The sound of shifting sand brought his head up to see Lightning approaching him, nodding out to the peanut shaped house and the area around it. "Welcome home."

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**did anyone else think that ignis looked a bit similar to hope's father, bartholomew?  
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**another thing, and though i do like him... sometimes i feel that sazh is a little out of place with 13. he does have his moments but over all, he's not the most remember able character for me. i actually like his old design more, which was pretty much rygdea with a blue tattoo (possibly) on his chest and a lot of gadgets to his trench coat. you can see a pic on the FF wiki in sazh's development. **

**and i don't think there are afros in noct's world X) i'd imagine that they'd be pretty strange looking the first time he sees them. **

**the only reason lightning's hair was "white" in the last chapter was because of the lighting and noctis mistook and assumed it was white. **

**originally bartholomew was the "king" of l'cie that was a cover for lightning who was the real ruler and when noctis confronted him, lightning was revealed to be the real ruler. the reason this was changed was the questions why would lightning be nominated as queen? why not fang who knew more of pulse? why not amodar and bartholomew for being more experienced and so on. **

**so to make up for it, i made her apart of the council as well as everyone else who i thought would have been an important leader and protector of the l'cie. also, originally, nabaat worked with bhunivelze, but seeing how the fal'cie last betrayed her... it just didn't fit or work out. and the deal with bartholomew, because of his past status, his word is well respected and considered int he council, maybe he really did become the closest thing to being king of l'Cie.  
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	6. Chapter 6

**gosh this update took forever! i'm sorry for the long wait, school's been keeping me busy and there were other thoughts that have been coming to me a lot faster. **

**recently, i've been thinking about rewriting The Lightning Strike and Forgetting Reality. FR i think i could have expanded more on, TLS i think could have gone a bit smoother... if i do, it won't be immediately, obviously, but for those that have read them, what do you? should i give a rewrite a try? **

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**Gravamen**

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**Burden  
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"There is one open bedroom above that you can use," Lightning said as they slipped into her home, Noctis coming in slowly behind her like a stubborn prisoner dragging his feet. In his mind, he probably thought he was. Most prisoners got a lot worse than a home to live in though. But she knew and understood where his complaints lay. She be just as pissed if she was forced to live in an unknown city, they could fancy up her cell as much as they wish, she was still going to hate it and continue too, unless opinions change.

Or so Bartholomew is hoping, but was she really the right one for this job? Her the short tempered soldier? Sure, she changed, as did everyone, but she still had her temper, and she still remembered, as did everyone else. She was one of them that could look past the past... mostly. Personally though, she didn't think she should be the one handling the babysitting. This was something Baz could handle, couldn't he? He was the sociable one; and her doing a good job with Hope? She scoffed at that, remembering how she encouraged her godson to kill Snow. She did get him stronger, but she also set him on the wrong path. He was the one to fix it in the end.

She shouldn't be doing this.

But Bartholomew seemed to think so, as did her sister... sometimes she wondered if Serah had a role to place in this, that she took time out of her day to talk with the head of the council that Lightning should be the one to house this human.

Now how to get him to adjust to Paddra... and Paddra to him. That was crazy on the way home. She could feel all the confusion, the anger, and shock as they slipped past her people. Never before has a human been in Paddra and with how most felt about them... Lightning could feel a slight headache coming already. She was going to have her work cut out for her. Already she could imagine half of the city coming to knock on her door, or any other council member, and demand what's going on.

Hopefully Bartholomew will be the one to break it to the city, before Nabaat rallies them up.

Sighing to herself, brushing her thoughts away as she patiently waited for him as he slipped in, letting him take in his new home for minute. While he observed every detail, she took the chance to really look at him. Before on the river and in the council room, all she could do was glance, never actually _look_ at him.

She didn't know what to think at what she saw.

Sure on Cocoon, the people then were quite colorful. To put it lightly. Cocoonians came in every shade and form. _Every shape and form. _She's seen every kind of hair a person could have, every color they could dye or be born with. For someone that doesn't mess with her own, she's seen a lot. But with every kind of hair she's seen, she found his to be strange.

It was a chocobos butt.

That's the only thing she could think of with his hair. Silky black and a spiky mess that went everywhere, looking at his hair just made her think of the rear end of those birds. Maybe that was the trend in the sanctuary? Spiky, shiny hair... distantly she wondered if it was hard or soft to the touch, then she quickly realized what she was thinking and squashed it, blaming the more high spirited friends for it. Getting past the hair, she focused on the rest of him.

Black must be another trend in the sanctuary. That was all he was wearing, torn black clothes. A black shirt, with a black jacket over, black jeans, and black boots. All torn, crumbled, and dirty. Rosch didn't bother cleaning his clothes when he had the healers take care of whatever number he did on the human, Lightning suspected he wanted the human to looked as rugged and as undignified as he appeared in Rosch's eyes. It may have been what Nabaat and Rosch saw, making the human all the more displeasing to their eyes, but for the council, specifically the three older members that have children and a history of them, seeing the dirty human only pulled at heartstrings, tugging back memories of their own kids and seeing them all dirty and roughed up.

She was sure the human had been trying to look as proud and as regal as he could in his situation, the only thing was he successful for though was pouting and looking miserable. Now that she thought about it, he did need a bath.

And then there was his skin. With the black clothing, it simply brought out the paleness. Fang and Vanille often commented how Cocoon was so pale compared to Pulse; she could bet on her crystal that if they met him, they'd remark that he looked like a ghost. And with his cobalt eyes, gleaming just as brightly against his pale skin and dark hair, it really brought out the glare of blue.

Didn't they glint red at one moment? Lightning narrowed her eyes slightly at the memory of when he charged at her. His eyes were red, they had changed, just like any eye would when gifted by a Maker. Did the god really give humans magic to use and control? The fal'Cie back then were smart enough to ensure that magic was banned, scaring the population through l'Cie and the horrors of magic, ensuring that they never used such a power against them.

Was that god really so arrogant and desperate that he had to humor humans with power? To tempt them and secure their loyalty? Unless there was something else to it, the arrogance of this god will be the death of him.

Something they'll be sure to take advantage of.

"What?" he growled out, his voice renosating off the walls, glaring at her darkly. Despite the suddenness of it, it did little to startle, staring at him calmly still. Sighing to herself, she offered, "Do you want a tour of the building?"

He stubbornly crossed his arms. "I think I could figure it out myself," he declared with a huff, making her raise her brow at him. Though most buildings in Paddra had been reserved to keep them as they used to be, there were some like herself that changed them up so it would be like their old home. She saw it in his eyes that her home was strange to him.

Maybe she should leave him alone to adjust by himself?

She felt more than saw that she had a guest as well.

"Alright," she said, walking past him. "Settle yourself in, the bathroom is at the end of the hall, bedroom upstairs, I'll be back with clean clothes."

She could feel his arc a skeptical brow, probably questioning her intelligence. Ignoring him, she slipped out of the house, murmuring a spell and feeling a slight spark rush through her and out and over the house, making the air shiver with energy. Satisfied that it was secure, she turned and walked away, heading back to the back way she took him down. Opening the gate, she slipped into the darkened cave and closed it, peeking through the crack to watch if the spell worked or not.

"You put an electric field up?" he asked, joining her in peeking through the wooden door and eyeing her house. "Yep," she said.

"You didn't put too much in did you?"

"You actually care about him?"

"I more care about what'll happen to you if he dies."

"He won't die."

"Well, humans are delicate..."

"Not that delicate. We weren't that delicate."

"Soldiers are tough, not civilians."

"He's not a civilian."

"How do you know?"

"I was high enough in the ranks to meet people like him; he's a rich kid, holding himself up like he's all high and mighty."

"Doesn't make him a soldier."

"He's had training and can summon weapons. He can qualify."

"I know he came at Rosch, you?"

"Yep, and I had the courtesy of escorting him, the brat. Oh, and I need your clothes."

"What?"

"He needs clothes and we can't go out shopping, not yet anyway. Paddra would eat him alive."

A sigh. "Alright, I'll gather some old clothes."

"They better be good."

"Acceptable?"

"The occasional small tear is acceptable, not big tears."

"I'll look around, but there's a more important matter besides a human. That _thing _is getting restless, and drawing closer. There's going to be slow escorts."

"Do we have enough seeds?"

"I'll have to check, but it'll be pushing the limits. In a bit we'll need to send someone that can go fast and transport a lot..."

"...You saddle me with a human and then drop this on me?"

"Bartholomew was the one that gave the human to you, this was also brought up after you left, Adonis was the one that brought it up, just as we were leaving."

Lightning sighed, slouching against the wooden door, her eyes flaring white slightly, she turned and glared at the man that stood beside her. In the darkness, he fitted in well, his black hair, shining blue in certain light hanging flat and thin around his face, his amber eyes gleaming in the darkness, with the light from the cracks shining against his pale skin. Much like the human in her house, the man wore dark clothes, helping hide him even more into the shadows.

"Couldn't you go Cid?"

"It would take me two weeks Lightning, I couldn't go fast with the goods, I'd have to go slow to stay hidden as well."

"Go now, save us all the trouble."

Cid sighed, "There's a sandstorm that monster is whipping up, Snow's stuck there and has made it clear he doesn't want anyone crossing the Dead Dunes. I can get there quickly but I can't carry a lot. You can carry more and cover faster ground."

"I'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"Not at night."

"It'll still be a couple days Cid. I'll be in the light sometime."

"How about I accompany you? There and back? I can take off some of the luggage and hide us both."

Lightning hummed, thinking it over before nodding. "Let me know when you're ready to go."

"You know what you're going to do with the human?"

"Yes. I know what I'm going to do with him."

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**Carcer**

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**Prison**

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Noctis stared after, watching as she left him alone in the house, with not even a click of a lock following after her. For a minute he watched as her back left through the window, going straight towards the wooden gate she guided him through before. Slowly he walked to the door, watching as she slipped through that wooden gate and out of sight. For a minute, he stood there, waiting, feeling like he was being baited by her.

When there was no move of that door opening, he slowly reached for the door handle, but as soon as he touched the metal knob, he reeled back with a sharp hiss, his hand flying to his wrist and squeezing as his hand suffered a burning, tingling sensation dancing over his finger tips and moving up his arm. Shuddering sharply, he fell to his knees, cradling his hand.

Looking up at the knob, he watched as a few silver sparks darted over the metal, gleaming brightly against the room.

Cursing under his breathe, Noctis got up, rubbing his hand to ward off the tingles going through his hand. Moving away from the door, he went to the closest window, pressing his hand to it only to rear back as another bolt bit at his hand.

She trapped him in.

Of course she trapped him in.

But how? L'Cie magic? Dysley mentioned once how it was similar to the magic the royals used, but it looked like they could take it much farther. He could use thunder as well, but never before like this. Then again, it never crossed his mind to try. If there was ever a need to contain someone, he had the guards watch them or lock them up in a cell.

Never has anyone use magic to lock someone up. Grumbling, Noctis turned away from the outside and glared in, crossing his arms as he tried to figure out what to do inside.

Should he make a weapon and try and kill her when she returns?

No, not yet. Not till she took up the electrical field. Even if he killed her, there's a good chance that it would stay in place, forcing his leave would kill him. He should start considering what he had to work with though. Moving around the house, Noctis inspected everything, trying to see if there was anything he could use against the l'Cie, but the only thing he could find that he could use were knives from the kitchen. He had a feeling that she would see these coming as well as his own swords... but then again, maybe not since he did need magic to bring out his blades, and maybe its his magic that gives him away. He took out a knife, making sure she wouldn't notice if she had one missing.

As soon as she stepped through that door, with it wide open, he'd be out and her dead. The thought brought a smile to his lips. His first dead l'Cie.

The idea was thrilling.

* * *

_She held his hand in her own, rubbing over his larger hand soothingly. She didn't reach out and hug him like he hoped and wanted, she merely sat there, smiling sadly at him. His hand curled over her own, but before he could pull her closer, she let go and drew away. _

_"She's in a better place Noct," was all she said, smiling still. It was all she knew to do in this situation. Smile when no one else would, trying to show the depressed world some sense of normalcy. "She's going to be watching over you and Regis, you won't be alone, she's still here."_

_"How do you know?" he demanded, frustrated with the lack of comfort, with hearing the same thing over again. With a scoff, the fourteen year old prince got up, shoving her away. "She's happy?! She's glad thatshe's gone and away from us?!"  
_

_"That's __not—"_

_"What your saying? Oh beleive me Stel, it is. _She's in a better place. _Usually that means she's happier now! I don't need to hear stuff like this now Stella. This is the last thing I need to hear, better yet, I don't need to hear any of this..."_

_Stella stared down at the floor, sighing in defeat. "I'm sorry Noctis, but there's no one here that can tell you what you want to hear... and I can't give you the comfort you want," she said at last, rising up and leaving him alone in the room. Sighing to himself, Noctis fell back in his seat, running his hand over his brow and pressing as if to releive some of the frustrated pressure in his head. _

_What was he to do mom? _

_What was he to do? _

* * *

It was nearly an hour when she returned. By then Noctis has explored her home from top to bottom. He's checked every room, every cabinet he could find, looking through her belongs and seeing what else he could find. Besides the kitchen knives, there was nothing else in this house that he could use as a weapon.

It didn't help that her house was really empty. There weren't many pictures, he found some, pictures of what he presumed to be other l'Cie that were her friends; nothing much of family though... there was one of her and another girl with pink hair that was smiling broadly at the camera. That was really it on pictures, and then there was documentation. That was a loss caused for Noctis, any documents he found he couldn't read. They were written in another language. There were letters he didn't know, though there were some that he recognized.

Over all though, despite turning this house upside down with searching, he couldn't find anything that would tell him more about this l'Cie. What was her name?

Light Farron?

Lightning Farron?

Or was Farron her first name?

Whoever she was, it wasn't going to matter after today. Noctis felt and adjusted his hold on the smooth knife handle, ready to be thrown or jabbed as soon as she came through the door. And came she did. Out of the gate like before, carrying clothes for him and completely unaware of what was inside.

Gripping the handle tightly, he tensely watched as the door knob slowly turned, the door opening up. As soon as he saw the flare of pink hair he threw the knife. It flew fast and true, heading straight for the l'Cie head, looking ready to pierce the center of her forehead. The blade was inches from her skin when she suddenly leaned back, letting it embed itself into the wall behind her, jerking and bouncing off with the momentum. Then she slipped in, staring at the knife on the wall with Nocts staring back as well, cursing mentally.

When she turned and looked at him, there was no anger in her eyes like he expected, nothing to show that she was going to lash out at him. She looked more tired and disappointed if anything.

"You dented my wall," was all she said as she grabbed the knife and pulled it out, tossing it into the sink while she shoved the clothes into his arms. "Take a bath and try those on. I'm going to make dinner and tell you what will be happening from now on... Well go! Stop glaring at me and get moving before I bathe you myself, and believe me, it won't be pretty."

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**in the few times Lightning appeared in this fic, she didn't feel right, like she could have said more, but then again, i had to remind myself that she hasn't had a chance to really appear yet. hopefully this chapter makes up for it! **

**sazh's original name was baz and because of how similar he used to look to rygdea, i decided to go ahead and make baz rygdea's first name since we only know his last. **

**i've been shocked before, its not fun. **

**along with summoning a variety of weapons, noctis can do magic and thunder was one of the spells listed or him. also in this fic, there'll be random flashbacks showing noctis' life and relationships, specifically with stella, they are more to offer an outlook on what his life was like before and his and stella's relationship, so i'm apologizing now if some of them seem a bit random, i'll be writing out and including whatever memory would come to me, whether they have a place in the chapter or not. and yes, there will be flashbacks from lightning and maybe a few other l'cie as well.  
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	7. Chapter 7

**alright, XIII is almost done! the last two chapters are previews of a two upcoming Lightis fics that will appear when i have another story finished or fiufio is farther along, like... part way i guess. anyway, if there's a preview for a certain story that you guys want to read, let me know, i'll go ahead and list the most likely ones to appear:  
**

**When Thunder Tolls: **Queen Lightning has cast dark storm clouds over Bodhum, encasing the kingdom in violent shadows, and those shadows are spreading. Noctis, Prince of Lucis, seeks to confront the queen, possibly slay her if he has too as those storms seeped out into the world. Joining him as a guide is Serah, a mysterious girl with her own reasons for going to Bodhum and seeing the queen. With his friends at his back and Serah as his guide, he'll confront the queen and get her to clear away the storms, by any means necessary.

**Guiding Light: **"She was our guiding light... my guiding light." Lightning didn't wake up along with the rest of her friends, and didn't wake till she was far into the future, to a kingdom known as Accordo, filling a role she never thought she'd have.

**Averia:** There's always been tension between the Miqo'te and the outside world, they were mysterious beings that kept to themselves strictly, hardly ever seen or interacted with, even when sought after; it was too a point that they were considered a myth. But when a young child drifts into their mist, for the first time, they have to step out.

**Stray: **They were the survivors and winners; they ruled and lived in Pulse, safe from the wild and savage natives of the Mithra that threatened their very existence; or so they were told. Lightning finds that this wasn't always so when she stumbles across a rare black Mithran.

**to tell a little bit about each one:**

** WTT is the basic idea of lightning becoming a villain especially with how she acted in the begining of FF13 where she lost everything she cared about and was up and ready to destroy Eden and put Cocoon in darkness.  
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** GL is a different idea to the typical lightning wakes up in the future of noctis' time, and not much of an adventure, more like a...romantic drama i guess? i'm hoping it'll be a good romantic comedy but we'll see, but expect drama.  
**

** Averia and Stray are pretty much stories of light and noct as mithras and miqo'te, especially since in Lightning Returns lightning can dress up as a miqo'te~ Averia is inspired by one of my fav cheesy fantasy movies Willow. **

**these are the most likely lightis story i'll work on next, let me know if you want a preview of one in XIII, if not, it'll be random. **

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**Cogito**

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**Muse  
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Its been three days now and already there was a set routine between the two. Noctis hid and brooded upstairs, stuck indoors even when Lightning left the house, keeping up the electric system to keep him in and everything else out... or so he presumed. Ever since the day she brought him here he has yet to see another l'Cie around her home trying to break in and get him. The only one he saw was Lightning, and she wasn't around half the time. Rises early and has breakfast made for him to eat and was gone when he finally came down to eat. The two have yet to share a meal, much less allow Noctis to see her eat, if l'Ce do eat that is.

Not that he cared. Dining with a l'Cie was the last thing he wanted. Being stuck in a house alone was another, he was glad that she was gone most of the day.

Though he couldn't deny that the strange house she lived in was getting old. And the quiet of it was ominous. The house didn't offer him much for entertainment, there wasn't much to characterize it. Despite the lack of decor though; Noctis could feel it in the air that the building had memories in it. It was like a haunting. It felt like a ghost came, drifting around the building, watching him, judging him, whispering words he could hear, murmuring their life to his deaf ears as it followed him around the house.

Or so it felt like. He never saw a ghost or heard one, but he could feel it. At night or day while the l'Cie was away, the air would suddenly become cold and had a sudden jolt of life to it, like there was another being there, passing by and lurking around the house.

He tried to find ways to distract himself whenever he felt the chill in the air. He continued to search the house, trying to find something that he could use against the l'Cie, trying to learn more about her and her culture and the people themselves. He moved dressers, flipped through books with letters he didn't know, checked under the beds and looked into both bedrooms.

The only thing he ever found was a picture in her bedroom. A picture of the l'Cie and another girl with slightly darker strawberry hair and darker aqua eyes. She was slightly shorter and was openly smiling a big smile, her eyes bright and kind, unlike his guard, standing firm, but even her hard eyes were soften and there was a light tug at her lips as the smaller girl heavily leaned on her.

That must have been the sister she mentioned when they first met.

Other then that, there was really nothing else that offered him anything. He couldn't read their language, she didn't keep pictures, and he couldn't leave the house.

Noctis sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, wary and bored of this place already. There was only so much a portrait could do for him. And no matter how comfy the bed was, he couldn't spend his days just sleeping all day, though the room did offer him a small escape from this reality. This room was different than the rest of building. Where the building was a variety shades of grey and silver with a few bold colors like an orange table and a few shades of brown to be found in the den, giving it an alien feeling to him; this room was the closest thing to normal here in this house for him. The room was a calm sky blue with a pale orange bed with a warm, orange brown canvas tied to either end above it, a green sofa, and pale, chalky, almost yellow furniture such as dressers and wardrobe. The wall had paintings and sketches push pinned into it, drawings and sketches of strange creatures like a large, winged white snake like creature that was rising into the air, its mouth open in mid roar. Sitting next to those drawings on the dresser like a proud collector showing off his prized work was a doll, a strange rabbit fox like creature that kept staring at him with big, brown, sown eyes.

The drawings, the doll, and the different coloration of the room in general compared to the rest of the building was different, were this home had a mature air and placement, this room was lighter and easing, it felt welcoming compared to the rest. Not that the building wasn't welcoming, but this room was the closest to anything back at home at Luxerion, even with the round ceiling.

It was a child's room.

He knew it was just as he stepped in when he was choosing a room. The different, calm, positive colors, the pictures, and the doll; this was her sister's childhood here, maybe even the l'Cie's own.

Guess that meant l'Cie did have childhoods if there was such a room in this home. It was a comforting room to be in. Any child's room was. Childhood was a nostalgic time, when there weren't any head aching problems, or any life changing decisions to make. In a child's room, it was a place where kids could escape the world and thrive in one of their very own, one they could make whatever they wanted and be what they wanted.

With his situation, this room was a sanctuary.

Rising slightly, he settled back and lent against the head board, staring at the open door way where a slope stretched down towards the rest of the floor and to the staircase to the first floor.

What did the l'Cie expect from him? What did he expect from them?

For these past few days, he didn't know.

He expected them to come after him, lock him away, kill him, or make him swear to never reveal their city, maybe even force him to live with them to the end of his days, forced to watch time move as they never aged while he did... would they even turn him into a l'Cie as well? Could they do that? The possibility of becoming a l'Cie himself never crossed his mind since he thought he was dealing with simple monsters than intellectual, complex beings with vague reasoning.

What did they expect from him?

Did they expect him to become friends with them? That he would get over their past wrongs and help keep them hidden from the world?

Agitation started to spark inside Noctis at the thought. If they wanted peace they shouldn't have killed Stella. Getting off the bed, Noctis slipped down the slope and stairs with a new resolve. If they weren't going to kill him, then he'd make use of that. He'll learn more of Paddra, the lay out of the city, the l'Cie themselves and see their limitations and powers; get enough trust that he could sneak off and return to Luxerion, share his knowledge with Dysley and lead the revolt that would finally end these killers.

But first he had to convince his guard to let him out.

Stepping off the last step and ignoring the sudden spike of cold energy in the air, he slipped into the kitchen, grabbing one of three scones she left him and tearing into it with a dark scowl as he tried to think of ways to convince her to let him out, only to nearly choke when the voice of the l'Cie of his thoughts spoke, "Is my cooking that bad?"

Turning around sharply, he gaped as he saw that she was watching him, perched in an armchair, observing him with her typical, calm and neutral expression, even the few times he came at her with the intent to kill, hardly ever to she show any expression to that. He was getting tired of seeing the same face on her.

"What are you doing here?" he uttered, quickly swallowing the scone in his mouth. She raised a brow at him as she smoothly replied, "I can't be in my own house?"

"Aren't you gone by now, I don't now, busy with council meetings?"

She scoffed, "The council doesn't take up that much of my day. There are other things that are more important then talk about food supplies and the flora. I'm only needed for military reasons."

"You're apart of the militia?"

"I am one of six generals of Paddra, there are more but they are elsewhere."

"I thought l'Cie wouldn't need generals."

"All l'Cies can fight, but not all are powerful," she said simply with a small shrug. Then she rose and slipped past him, grabbing a scone and nibbling on it as she went around the kitchen, opening the fridge and the cabinets but never taking anything out. "What are you doing?" Noctis asked after watching her for a while. "Checking our supplies, seeing what we need for food," she said, licking her lips as she finished her scone.

So she was going out shopping. This was his chance! Just as he opened his mouth to trick her into letting him join her, she cut him off. "You're coming with me to the market, along the way, we're also going to buy you more comfortable clothes to wear, you're going to get hot here wearing nothing but black."

"I can take the heat," he bit out, the corner of his lips curling up slightly. This was working out better than he planned. He quickly dropped that small smirk when she looked up at him, her aqua eyes going up and down his figure. "It'll be a wonder if you do last long," she mused. "You're on the other side of the mountain human, where the hot air is trapped. You're sanctuary gets cooler weather than here. You'll want Paddran clothes."

"I'll bear it."

"Alright, but if you pass out, I'm dragging you."

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**Fabula**

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**Myth**

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Lightning wasn't kidding about the heat. As soon as they stepped out of the house, he could feel the humidity in the air, but with her room shadowed by the looming rock formations that rose up to the sky, the heat was bearable. It was only when he followed her out of that shadow and into the city she was placed outside of, he instantly knew what she meant. It was barely five minutes and already he was tired. His worn clothes clung to his body, sweat beading down and dripping from his messy black hair, he felt it curl down his forehead and down his brow to his cheek and dropping off his face.

But he bore with it. Refusing to stumble in this heat as he followed Lightning, glaring at her back as she walked easily in the head, hardly breaking a sweat in her loose, Paddran clothes.

Where he had first met her wearing a worn, ragged cloak, she had discarded it for a black top that was crookedly cut short along with dark blue grey jean shorts, and like the top themselves, they were short with treads hanging out and brushing along any of her exposed skin with a black belt wound around them. For some since of modesty, she wore a a blood red sari stashed over her body and hanging around the back of her legs, sweeping along her knees, just as worn and torn as the rest of her clothes. To wrap it up, she had brown, knee high boots and a few accessories, a black armband, a navel piercing that he randomly noticed, and a necklace with a lightning pendent that hung around her neck by a black thread.

She would have been quite an odd sight for sore eyes in Luxerion. Completely out of place and almost barbaric. While there were some kingdoms that wore fairly open clothes, like Accordo and Yusnaan; but over all, Luxerion kingdoms were cold climates with only a small number of them being warm enough to wear open clothing during the summer. Lucis was one of the colder kingdoms, so wearing and seeing such open clothes was strange to him.

He was starting to consider that maybe that strangeness would help him bare with Paddra's heat a bit more... even if he wasn't used to the heat, less clothes that didn't attract heat would be nice.

Noctis jumped when a hand suddenly came around and grabbed his shirt and sharply pulled him along. Stuttering helpless, Noctis could only be dragged by the l'Cie, grumbling her self about how slow he was. Just as he was about to make a snarky comment back, he saw figures out of the corner of his eyes. Looking around him, he saw more l'Cie, some weilding weapons, some holding goods like clothes, food, and such. All were staring at them, most stopping in place to watch them pass, some of their eyes flashing white as they watched him like a behemoth would its prey.

"They're not going to attack while I'm here," Lightning voiced, catching him off guard.

"I wasn't worried about that," he grumbled back as he let her drag him along, staring at everything but l'Cie. She merely hummed at that, letting him go when she finally stopped, nearly making him topple over at the sudden momentum. Before he could have snarled at her, she pointed down and told him, "Welcome to the Paddran Square, in other words, the market where we'll find everything you'll need."

The market was the very beauty of Paddra that had him stunned the first time he arrived. With waterways mazing around the market with colorful tents popped up around them with a variety of trees and flowers blooming and standing around along with the citizens themselves flocking around the market. Despite the large number of people below, it was surprisingly spacious in the market. Behind the market he saw the port where sail ships were placed, people loading and unloading crates from them with an endless desert stretched out before Paddra.

"What is the name of that desert?" he asked unconsciously, curious abut it. It was the first desert he's ever seen after all and his eyes couldn't turn away from it. He never knew sand came in so many colors or gold, pale, red, grey, brown; they all mushed together, reflecting off the sun and making a golden sea against the bright blue sky.

"That's the Dead Dunes," Lightning told him, "the dry sea that surrounded Paddra."

"Why do you have ships?"

"You think Paddra is the only civilization that l'Cie have?"

He turned to her in surprise. There were more l'Cie? Not just Paddra? "How many l'Cie are there?" he asked her.

She stared at him for a few minutes, judging, debating with herself on how much to reveal. Finally she told him, "There are three hundred l'Cie in all, most live here in Paddra."

And then she left, walking down the steps that would lead to the market, leaving him at the top. Frowning down at her back, and momentarily forgetting the head and the odd looks being sent his way, Noctis followed after her, pressing her suspiciously, "Why are you so open with information?"

She sighed like a parent would with a child that was asking too many questions. "Do you know what the council agreed on? What the head wanted?"

"Not really."

"We l'Cie have been hiding away for a long time," she explained, taking slow steps down the stairs, letting him match her pace, "from your people and your fal'Cie."

"Fal'Cie?"

"A race of god-like beings, that's what your god is."

"You're seeking to destroy him aren't you."

"Yes."

Noctis drew away sharply, his eyes flaring red as he glared at her. Lightning stopped as well, turning and meeting his glare calmly. It aggravated him how calm she was with his eyes. Only royals in Luxerion were hardly intimidated by any eye change, though the Caelum family was described to have the scariest out of all the eyes. Any normal person outside should have been unnerved.

Then again, she wasn't a person was she.

"If you think that I'd help any of you—"

"We were there," she cut off.

"What?" Noctis asked, his eyes dimming slightly. "We were there," she repeated, "when your god, Bhunivelze, came, offering security for _worship_," she stretched out her arm, waving it to Paddra, "everyone here and out there refused." Her arm dropped and Lightning breathed in, closing her eyes for a moment as a dark scowl crossed over her features. "Most of us knew what worshiped really meant, it was another name for slavery."

"We're not his slaves!" Noctis insisted. "Bhunivelze cares for us, he kept us safe, gave us powers to help him protect our homes, he—"

"You never wonder about the silver bird?"

Noctis stilled. She knew about Minerva?

"That bird is a spy, acting as the fal'Cie eyes, always keeping watch, making sure that you do everything they want you to do. She's always been watching for them, she's even watched me."

"Why would she watch you?"

"To make sure I was doing what her master wanted. A long time ago, before Bhunivelze came and made his offer, I was one of many that were ruled by fal'Cie, Bhunivelze's grandchildren specifically. People back then were nothing more than bothersome pets to the fal'Cie, pets they were tired of taking care of and wanted dead. Bhunivelze may not have the interest of killing off humanity, but he certainly wants control."

"Bhunivelze cares for all humans, he's not like his grandchildren, just because you had—"

"When we refused to worship him, Bhunivelze tried to kill us. The only reason we are alive today is because the daughter he tossed away turned us into l'Cie to help us survive. And ever since then, Bhunivleze has been trying to kill us off since." And with that, she turned away, resuming her slow descent into to the market. For a moment though, Noctis didn't follow, staring after her and musing over the information she provided.

Did Bhunivelze really try to kill them? It did explain how they became l'Cie, Dysley did mention a few times that Bhunivelze had children but never went into detail about them. All he ever said about them was that they were murdered out of cold blood by a Ragnarok that a l'Cie became. The only names of his children that were mentioned were his sons, Lindzei and Pulse. Bhunivelze had a daughter? Grumbling under his breathe, he sped up, jogging down the steps to catch up to her, quickly asking about his god's daughter.

"Her name is Etro," Lightning offered, not stopping this time or going slow down the steps. "She is the fal'Cie of time, a judge of both life and death, passed onto her by her grandmother Mwynn. She is Bhunivleze's second child and reminded him too much of the mother he usurped and he threw her away with no power or task. Etro physically died because of this and met her grandmother in Valhalla where all the dead go. Her grandmother gave Etro power and a purpose as a guardian of time, and is the only fal'Cie that can never die, unless you die and fight her in Valhalla, but since that is her realm, that would be a hopeless fight." She smiled, "Could be fun though."

He raised an eyebrow at that but decided not to ask, too curious about Etro to care. "How come Bhunivelze's priest never mentioned her?"

"Because she is his greatest mistake. Bhunivelze ruled the world before, but after Etro died and became the god of time, she willed him to sleep, where only a great apocalypse happens and a great massacre of lives were lost. Those lives were a big chunk of humanity and all his grandchildren; that is how Bhunivelze woke again and appeared before the remaining humans."

"And how you became l'Cie?"

"Yes."

Noctis mulled over those words, turning them over in his head and piecing them together to see the l'Cie's picture, actually forgetting his bitterness at the mythology and history provided. "You don't trust fal'Cie do you?" he asked, trying to get more from her.

"Not in the slightest."

"Do you trust Etro?"

"Nope. But we do owe her, and we share a common interest."

"To take out Bhunivelze?"

"A Ragnarok is what took out his grandchildren's lives and changed humanity's fate. Another one would kill Bhunivelze, the last fal'Cie."

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**there's actually an easter egg in this chapter for serah  
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**i remember when i was a kid, my bedroom was where i'd always play with toys and i'd play with them for hours and hours and hours on end with beanie babies specifically, i did life dramas, i made couples, war, and happy endings X) i do miss those days. **

**for this picture i looked closely at the few details offered to lightning's home and tried to shape it as best i could. same for the clothes, i looked at the clothes that all Pulsians (?) wore and designed them as people would wear in Paddra, with the city being so close to the desert, the weather is hot so the clothes that fang and vanille wore would be fitting for the climate.  
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**remember! i'll have two previews of upcoming lightis fics with their plots above, if there's one that you want specifically, let me know!**


	8. Chapter 8

**alright, XIII is done and the last two chapters are previews of the next upcoming lightis fics, unfortunately, they will be a while till one of them is posted; not till i have a story done or is half way.  
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**Parvum gradum  
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**Small step  
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"Come on human, it doesn't take five minutes to change," Lightning huffed from where stood, leaning against the wall in front of the changing rooms, waiting impatiently for her guest to come out. She took him to the first clothes store she knew and let him grab four pairs to wear while in Paddra that would last him a while. Most of the clothes were darkly colored, grey and black, but like all clothes made in Paddra, they were loose and baggy, open enough to let air in and out.

That's what this human will need while here. Thanks to the Dead Dunes, winter was nothing more than a myth here in Paddra; though a few adventurous l'Cie that snuck around Yaschas Massif did confirm that the weather was colder than on their side. Being in Paddra was going to be a struggle for him, especially during the summer.

She made mental notes to take him out on cool days like when it was cloudy or raining.

Lightning snapped out of it when she heard a grumble on the other side about the clothes before rolling her eyes. If he didn't step out soon...

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine Tenio," Lightning assured with a heavy sight, glancing up at the odd merchant as he slipped over, his head tilted curiously as he eyed the stall. "You seemed to be a bit annoyed so I thought I'd come and check..."

"I don't think there was ever a time I was disappointed with your wears," she eased.

Tenio hummed, shifting slightly to stand next to her, eyeing the stall from under his white, grey, black, and blue striped hood, his eyes hidden under his plated mask. "What's it like?" he asked softly, "being around a human?"

"I have no idea what's going on in his head," she admitted quietly. Tenio shifted again, his lips curling down into a frown. "That's unnerving," he murmured, "do you even know where he is?"

"Only when he makes a sound."

"I'm almost afraid to be around more like him... after so long to be like them, not know anyone around us..."

"Though it will be strange, we'll get used to it Tenio. We did it before didn't we? It'll just be another phase to go through."

Tenio smiled, chuckling slightly, "I'm sure we will, we always do, its just a struggle sometimes when fal'Cie are involved."

"Fal'Cie?"

"You don't know?"

Lightning sighed, "This is my first outing back in the city since the human came, I've most been observing him and meeting with a few of the council to talk about the latest problems; food, escape routes, and such."

"Ah," Tenio hummed, "Well, there's talk going on that Etro sent him."

"Did Serah mention anything?"

"No, but its the talk of the Square. We were all waiting for Serah to come out with information on him, or something. I was wondering if you could confirm, did Etro really send him? Is it time?"

"I'm not sure," she said honestly, "Serah seems to think so, anyone else on the Council doesn't know what to think. Its an opportunity though, whether Etro sent him or not, we're going through with it. We changed fate before, even when the gods themselves said it was hopeless."

"Does Villiers and Yun know?"

"Not yet, I was going to tell them when I make the trip and switch with Fang," Lightning turned to him, "I was hoping you could send a message ahead." Tenio smiled. "Consider it sent. You caught me at a good time too, I was going to be leaving at dusk tomorrow."

"Watch the skies."

"Always."

The changing room door finally opened and both l'Cie straightened as Noctis came out, freezing himself at the sight of the strange masked man standing beside his wardon, dressed in a large robe of white with black and blue stripes with a pale, plated mask resting on the bridge of his nose and over his cheeks, hiding his eyes from the prince. Suspicion rose in Noctis as he flicked his gaze between Lightning and the man, "Who are you?" Noctis asked, narrowing his eyes. By how relaxed Lightning was, she was familiar with this l'Cie. "Apologies," the man said pleasantly, stepping closer and offering his hand, "I am Tenio, the owner of this shop."

While Tenio went on about himself and his wares, Lightning looked over the human, frowning slightly. Paddra did look strange on him, mostly because of his hair. The spikes took away from the simple, gray garb, he would look more natural if his hair was flat but then he'd look a bit like Cid, only with blue eyes instead of amber...

Lightning grimaced, already imagining the hissy fit her fellow council member or this human would have. Best to probably keep his hair as it is, they'll all get used to it eventually.

"Do they fit?" Lightning interrupted, catching both men's attention.

Noctis frowned before nodding, "If this really is the best you got, then yeah, this'll do."

"What of his old clothes?" Tenio asked.

Just as Noctis opened his mouth to retort that he was keeping his close, Lightning said immediately, "Mend them to the best of your abilities, see if even Vanille can help if you're having trouble. I want them returned when your done."

"Got'cha!" Tenio chirped, snatching up the clothes from Noctis with Lightning following after, leaving the flabbergasted prince behind. She's letting him keep his clothes? And having them mended? Was this what l'Cie really were or was it a guise and ploy of the devils?

Noctis had seen l'Cie at their worst, even before Dysley went into detail. He saw their corpse as they were carried away, along with the bodies of almost twenty guards that tried to stop those three monsters. Their skin were chalky pale, some parts were hardened into crystal with those hard glinting stones rising up like spikes. Their bodies had been twisted and deformed, standing larger than any man, their fingers replaced with curving black claws, they had horns, fangs, and one didn't even look remotely human while the other two had a human like face.

One thing they all had in common was the look in their pale, dead eyes.

A savage emotion that was only found in behemoths and other monsters, nothing close to being even remotely human.

That is what a l'Cie is, that is their true colors.

He's seen what they looked like, he's seen what they could do, what they did. He just had to keep reminding himself of this, just to be sure that he didn't fall prey to them.

"You coming human?"

He looked up to see that Lightning was waiting for him, his other pairs of clothes in her arms, staring at him expectingly; behind her, the merchant, Tenio was muttering to himself, taking his old clothes and neatly laying them in then taking a charcoal and scribbling _human _on the side of te box before putting the lid on and stacking it with other boxes, almost looking like he was packing up to leave. Reluctantly, his feet moved towards Lightning, his eyes going up and down her form, trying to imagine what she would look like with horns and chalky pale, crystal skin; trying to imagine what was her true form.

Even if she and the rest of Paddra hid it under a human guise, looking and acting like humans, in reality they weren't. He knows what they were capable of and what they could turn into. In Paddra all he was doing was gambling with a ticking time bomb. He didn't know when, but one of these l'Cie would snap, maybe it was Lightning herself, maybe someone else, maybe all of them.

Sometime, one of them was going to snap and show their true colors.

He just had to keep reminding himself of that.

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**Incertus**

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**Unsure**

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Lightning flashed over the dark night sky, fitting his mood quite well as he watched it cut the air in half before blinding his eyes when the streak of light became to large, and then it faded away.

Regis sighed warily as the jumble of emotions rose and fell inside him, much like the thrashing of the storm outside, whipping the wind and rain violently around. He was angry, at himself, at Noctis, at Dysley, and at himself. Then he was disappointed at himself and his son, before his frustration swelled into anger and doubt again.

It was never ending.

Had he failed as a father? To see his son leave so willingly to pursue monsters? That he would throw his life away so eagerly?

He wanted the defense that Dysley had a role to play, that the priest manipulated his son.

It was his son that allowed himself to be manipulated though... just as it was him that let the priest spend time around his child. He should have been suspicious when Dysley took an interest in Noctis; but no! He was proud that the immortal priest had taken an interest to his son, that their god was interested in his son.

It never crossed his mind that that interest could be malevolent.

...Of maybe it was his anger that was clouding his judgement. Bhunivelze has never wronged Luxerion in anyway, and helped the kingdoms that make up it prosper. Perhaps the Caelums did something to unnerved the god? He didn't know what they could have done, especially since they were one of the most loyal to Bhunivelze out of all royal families.

Unless it was Dysley himself that wanted his family to fall. He knew well enough that Regis himself would never remarry, most Caelums were always loyal to their love, especially one they settled down with. He could not even imagine the thought of having another woman ruling at his side after the loss of his queen.

With no queen at his side and his son leaving to chase myths, that left Lucis without an heir, that left the Caelum line without a future. Was this what their god desired? Was this what Dysley desired? Was their family to end like this?

But Noctis was his son, he was a Caelum and Caelums didn't throw their lives away so easily... Regis clung to the small hope that Noctis would return, come to his senses about this. But with any man that stepped out of Luxerion never being seen again...

"My liege?"

Regis looked over his shoulder, spotting a man that he considered to be his second son. Nodding to him, he turned to him, facing the boy that was one of Noctis' closest friends. "Ignis," Regis greeted, "what brings you here at this time... the storm didn't scare you did it?" he asked lightly, smiling at the memory. All three, Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus cowered during violent storms like this.

Ignis frowned for a moment before smiling nostalgically return. "It has made me jump a few times," he admitted, his smile dropped as all light humor left his eyes as his face fell into its familiar, calm facade. "I want to bring Noctis back," Ignis said bluntly, when Regis frowned, Ignis went on, "it can be just me, Gladiolus and Prompto can join if they want to, or I could go alone, I don't care; but the prince has to return and—"

"Ignis," Regis cut off, "you will not be going after Noctis."

"I... I don't understand, don't you want him back?"

Regis sighed, feeling the turmoil return as he fell back into his seat, his back to the young adviser as he ran his worn hand through his graying hair. Was this what it meant to be old? Feeling the weight of reality on his shoulders and being helpless on whether to shrug it off or to bear it longer. Considering the man behind him and his words carefully, Regis said, "As much as I would like to bring him back, Noctis... has to make his own decisions, and I'm not sure if this is by the will of Bhunivelze or not. If it is, it would be better not to get involved with a god's plan."

"Even if it meant getting the prince killed?!"

Regis didn't reply, staring out the storm, musing with himself and debating. No, he wouldn't stand aside and let Bhunivelze kill off his son; but there wasn't much that he could do immediately except waiting for Bhunivelze to look the other way. Regis was well aware of the silver bird drifting around his castle.

Ignis, frustrated by the lack of response, snarled out, "I wasn't aware that cowardice ran in the family!"

Regis twitched, breathing in and sighing, letting the adviser think what he wanted. As angry steps stomped away, Regis continued to watch the storm, putting his trust in his son's strength to survive, at least, till he could search for him, till his son was ready to return, his journey complete.

Whether Bhunivelze brought this up to kill Noctis or to set him on a journey to learn, it was a big step, a change of some kind was coming. Regis could feel it in his bones and through his connection to the god, the old magic he inherited buzzing with slight life to the god's own excitement.

Something was going to happen, and it involved his son.

Regis knew that he didn't like it.

Not one bit.

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_"Shouldn't you be elsewhere?" Noctis bit out, sighing to himself as he glared down at the papers before him. Across from him in the room, Stella flocked around, humming to herself as she looked over his office room, again. "You should play with your room more," Stella said absently.  
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_"Play how?" Noctis asked._

_"Oh I don't know, occasionally move things around, rearrange."_

_"I don't have time for that."_

_"You have time for naps."_

_"I'm a napper, I don't like sleeping at night, I prefer sleeping in the day."_

_"Vampire."_

_"Good thing they're sexy."_

_She scoffed at him. "Just change the room," she insisted, "a little change can be good you know, a little...variety in life. Makes it more interesting."_

_"Interesting isn't always good."_

_"But it isn't always bad either."_

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"What's bugging you human?"

Noctis started, looking up at Lightning, watching her browse through the assortment of food, picking up what she liked and easily discarding anything that didn't interest her. "Nothing's bugging me," he grumbled, twitching at being called a human. Again.

"You should give me your name if you don't like being called human," she stated simply, almost as if she read his thoughts. Noctis glared darkly before rolling his eyes, following after her as she wondered away to yet another stall, slipping into a shadow to hide from the sun.

"So what's your problem with l'Cie?" Lightning asked, stepping back enough that she stood near enough for only Noctis to hear. "To our assumption, we were forgotten to the world. What brought you here?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Noctis retorted.

"I would, especially since no human has ever come into Paddra till you."

"Your monsters," he put out, watching her reaction, curious to see if she was shocked or unnerved in anyway. She barely blinked or even looked surprised at the statement, though she did look up at him curiously, tilting her head as if wondering how he got such information. "And?" she asked.

"And?!"

"Yes and; you're telling me something that we all already know."

"And all of Paddra is fine with it?" Noctis wondered, narrowing his eyes dangerously at her. Lightning merely shrugged though, not intimidated or irked in anyway. "I'd say it's more along the lines that we accepted it. We've been monsters for a long time human, not much that we can do about it."

"You're expecting me to accept a bunch of monsters?" Noctis growled, ignoring the dark looks coming his way. Lightning merely sighed tiredly, grabbing his sleeve and dragging him away, again. "I just can't leave you around other l'Cie can I?" she grumbled.

"Why would a monster care if I'm left with the other monsters?"

Lightning arced a brow at him. "How old are you?" she asked in agitated skepticism. Then she shook her head again, her voice coming out of its low tone as they left the more open, flourished streets and stepping down a more secluded way home. "Never mind," she brushed off, "age doesn't have anything to do with being childish."

_"Childish?!"_

"Can't monsters have feelings?" Lightning asked, ignoring his outburst and breaking off any other angry spurts from him and walking away from him, grumbling. "Besides, I thought I'd get a break from letting you keep your clothes, but nope. You're worse than Nabaat, you know that?"

Noctis huffed as he followed after her, jogging slightly as she speed walked down the empty streets. "Why did you let me keep my clothes?"

"Because I know how precious they can be."

When Noctis blinked in surprise, Lightning finally stopped, turning towards him. "I know what its like, being in a strange world, with rules you have to learn, and your only connection to home where the very clothes on your back. You'd want to keep your clothes close, no matter the condition, because its your only link to your home and past... I thought you'd like t see them in better condition. But if you don't want to accept the favor, fine, it can be my last." She frowned at him before closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. Noctis almost felt a wave of guilt and understanding, almost, but as soon as it started to bubble, he crushed it with the memory of Stella's killers.

When Lightning looked up at him, seeing no change in his stance and attitude, she twitched herself. "I'm getting tired of this," she grumbled. "Let me know when your ready to make an effort human, I'm supposed too, but its hard too when you're not meeting me half way."

"Did you ever think I wanted too?"

Lightning opened one eye at him, staring at him blankly before huffing. Noctis crossed his arms rebelliously, meeting her eyes boldly. "I never asked or desired to make any sort of relationship with monsters, I came to kill you, all of you; expecting to die myself. You weren't supposed to spare me, nor go through this crazy idea of making a good relationship with me, or whatever was going through your head. I'm not going through with it, and I never will."

Lightning stared at him, her eyes narrowing as anger and agitation boiled, her hands curling into fists and trembling. For a moment, Noctis thought that she was going to lash out, that she was finally going to end it, right here, right now. Then she slumped completely, shrugging him off. "Alright, if that's what you want."

Before Noctis could react, she became a pale, blue blur, grabbing him and darting through the streets, sending the life of Paddra into spiral for Noctis as they went faster than he's ever gone. When they finally stopped, she threw him at a wall, dazing him as she slammed a metal gate after him and murmuring a spell, placing a familiar, electric field on the metal. When Noctis finally gathered his wits, he looked up just in time to see Lightning smile down at him.

"Enjoy your new room," she said joyfully before walking out and leaving him in a very, real cell.

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**i think what will always be in my head is that Noctis doesn't do well in heat and fairs better in the cold, and Lightning is vice versa. i doubt there is ever a winter in Bodhum and Noctis just seems fitting to be around the snow.  
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**tenio is one of the new characters in Lightning Returns and is a traveling merchant and replaces Chocolina; in this fic, he's going to act more of messenger for the council members as well as a spy and observer among the citizens of Paddra, but over all, he's not going to have much of a role besides appearing occasionally, this might even be his only appearance. i haven't decided yet. **


	9. Chapter 9

**action!  
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"So you threw him in jail…?"

"He was asking for it."

Sazh sighed, rubbing his chin as the soldier across from him scowled darkly, her arms crossed rebelliously, and agitated that she was getting the scolding end. No doubt in her mind that she was relentlessly berating the human that put her in this position. He knew her well enough that that's what she did when she was mad, specifically at someone. Mentally curse them to Valhalla and back. Sazh dreaded to think what sort of curses Lightning even knew and what she was even thinking about doing to the poor kid, even if he was asking for it.

The rest of the council quickly learned what Lightning did with her guest, driving half of them crazy and making most of them very tired.

Especially since Nabaat has become even more insistent about killing off the human now that Farron didn't want anything to do with him.

Or so she presumed.

From what he knew of Lightning, she never really gave up on people, though she did become fed up with them easily. She wasn't going to give up on the human, he knew that much. When Serah first started mentioning his coming, Lightning was one of the handful of members that jumped to the possibilities.

She just needed a break, that was probably it. He didn't know the full details, no one did, but he was sure it was as bad as a behemoth and a lobo meeting. All he could gather is that both lost patience with each other and snapped.

Of course their first human they came across just had to have a temper.

Sighing as he massaged his coming headache away, he tried, for their guest's sake, and the council's own sanity. "Come on soldier, give the kid a break. He's separated from home—"

"He left willingly."

"..he's surrounded by strangers—"

"He called us monsters."

Sazh sighed again. "You can't throw everyone into jail to solve your problems."

"Sazh," she scoffed, "you know me, I solve by punching people; he got off easy."

"So what? He's going to stay in jail for the rest of his life now?" Sazh asked.

"Nope."

"So you will take him back in?"

"Nope."

"…what do you mean 'nope'?"

"Someone else can take him."

Sazh sighed again, his mind swimming with possibilities to make this work. "Maybe you could try again...? With a different approach...?"

"I talked to him, I gave him space, I gave him a real room, real food; I even had his clothes fixed. I tried to be as patient with him as I could be Sazh, but that human doesn't want anything to do with l'Cie. At least not with me. You take him or have someone else babysit him."

"We could give it a try..." the pilot couldn't argue with that. While Lightning was a great guide and guardian, there was the glaring fact that everyone had to get around that first meeting to find that great guardian. As soon as someone's nose goes up, Light's own is close to follow. And with this kid being rich as Lightning believes...

"Maybe Serah could work with him?" he offered, the younger Farron being the first to come to him; the more open and agreeable of the two, not to mention friendly. She might have the most of luck with the human.

But by the look his comrade was giving him, maybe not... "Just a suggestion," he eased quickly.

"Don't suggest it again," she bit out. "This human will go after l'Cie, he's made a few attempts on me. You'll need someone that knows how to fight. Serah never had an interest and didn't look too much into it. He'd have her by the throat."

"How about I have ago?" They both looked up, eyes widening at the smile that calmly greeted them. Lightning's then narrowed as she accused, "You'd end up killing him."

"That's what he wanted this whole time isn't it? And if he wants it, then he should get it."

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Ignis just couldn't stop pacing, grumbles and curses flying from his lips as his mind flew, trying to grasp the situation and what to do.

He couldn't go against the king, Dysley, orBhunivelze; not without consequence, nor could he just stroll out either.

Not on Gladiolus or Prompto's watch.

"Dude, will you just like settle down?" Prompto asked, rolling his eyes at the future adviser as he flipped through the magazine of women.

"Calm down?!" Ignis bellowed. "My friend and the future king is out there, dead, lost, or with monsters and I'm locked up here and you expect me to calm down?!"

Prompto frowned, turning his gaze away and eyeing the ceiling, "Well, when you put it that way..."

"We are going after Noct, Ig," Gladiolus assured, not looking up from the documents he was signing. "Just not immediately."

"There you go, see," Prompto added, smiling up at the adviser.

"How about a when," Ignis hissed.

"By the end of this week, that's when we can try."

"When we can?!" Ignis demanded skeptically.

"We're being spied on," Prompto interjected. Ignis froze while Gladiolus nodded, confirming the blonde. "We're being watched?" Ignis asked quietly.

"Us, the king, and anyone else that would care about the prince leaving, especially if you have the intention of bringing him back."

"How do you know this?"

"I'm a sniper Ig, you get a feeling when someone's eyeing you, since I have yet to hear a gunshot, I can presume that I'm being watched."

"Cor Leonis also confirmed this," Gladiolus added, "dragged me aside and told me that Dysley's bird has been hanging around, watching Lucis, the castle, everyone. Same goes for his bodyguard and Bhunivelze loyalists. They don't want us going after Noct."

"Or they are daring us too," Prompto put in.

"You think it really would settle down in a week?" Ignis asked frowning as he made calculations to all the possibilities.

"Nope," Gladiolus admitted, "but I think that's as long as we can wait till we bust ourselves out of here."

"Is the king aware?"

"Maybe, I don't know if he is or not."

"Probably," Gladiolus assured, "that's probably why he hasn't thrown his own tantrum yet, he's waiting it out, testing both Dysley and his son."

"He really thinks that Noctis will return?" Ignis wondered warily.

"He trust Noct too, and I think we should too, at least, give him a week's chance, right?" Prompto offered, smiling reassuringly, even if the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Ignis could only hum, turning away from the two and going to the window, there he stared out, searching for one of his shadows and spotting Minrva nipping away at her feathers, the ivory bird sitting close to where they were, when she lifted her head, her chalky blue eyes met his.

That left no doubt in his mind about Prompto and Gladiolus' spies.

They were being watched, being chanced to go after Noctis. Ignis straightened, keeping his gaze to the bird till she finally returned to her grooming. They couldn't leave, not without being subdued or even killed, and a weeks wait wasn't going to be enough to calm them down to look in the other direction. If they waited two weeks yes, then they probably could get away with it and go unnoticed. But that would be too long. A week, Ignis promised to himself, just give them a week Noct, they'll find him. Even if it meant turning their backs on their god and Luxerion, they'll find him.

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**Tracto  
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**Deal  
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Noctis was bored, even more bored than before now that he wasn't in the l'Cie's home anymore. There, at least there were items that he could look at, pieces that he could study and learn, information to gather on l'Cie and Lightning.

Now he was in a real cell, a real, dank, humid, slimy cage, where the air outside made it hot and the shadows inside pulled at the fungi, encouraging them to sprout like daisies in the damp rock. Absently he couldn't help but wonder how old this jail was. Most of Paddra had an old look to it, but the l'Cie here brought just as much life to it, and the few times he was out wandering the streets he kept forgetting that the city was ancient.

In his wonder, all he knew of was a new world, a world l'Cie shouldn't be living in, or at least, a world he didn't imagine l'Cie to live in. He sighed, leaning back and grimacing when his head hit the wet, rough stone behind him, feeling it grate through his hair and against his skin. Again, he found himself temptingly considering calling out to Lightning and seeing if an apology would get him back into his guestroom.

He'd take the nice soft comfy bed over any of these hard, wet stones any day.

If only that didn't mean apologizing to a monster.

"Well don't you look at home in there?"

Noctis jerked up, looking up to see a familiar woman slip into the jail, her long blonde hair sweeping her, her sharp green eyes flickered with anticipation, reminding Noctis of a hunting behemoth, coming in for a kill. "What do you want?" he asked, mindful to keep away fromthe bars and out of reach.

"To see if the rumor's true of course. 'Lightning threw the human away' they say. And surprisingly she did."

"What does it matter if she did."

The woman smiled, her eyes laughing at his statement. "That doesn't bode well for you if she did. Lightning doesn't want you, Paddra doesn't want you, the council doesn't even want you, I wonder if the people you left behind, abandoned even still want you."

There was a twitch inside Noctis, before it could become overpowering, Noctis pushed it down, steeling himself. "What does it matter," he bit out. "I don't care if anyone in Paddra would want me."

"But you care about the ones back at home."

He didn't reply to that.

"You left them, people I'm sure you cared about, would have given your life for and so on. Only to leave so suddenly to hunt us down. I can't help but wonder why, especially since you turned your back on the sanctuary, and probably broke a few hearts. Was it even worth it human?"

"What do you want."

"I want answers," she stated, "I want to know why, and I want you to be aware, aware of what you gave up, the chances you had both here in Paddra and back in the sanctuary where no doubt your friends and family gave up on you, just as you did them."

"I didn't give up on them!"

"You certainly didn't bring them."

"This was my fight! My problem, not theirs!"

"And this will be your end," she hummed, turning away and sauteing up and down the hall, smirking to herself. "How delicious," she murmured to herself, turning her green gaze back to him, "this is what you wanted the whole time, isn't it? You wanted a l'Cie to kill you didn't you?"

Noctis didn't reply to that, glaring at her from where he lent against the wall. She merely laughed, laughing like any other manipulative noblewoman, bred for her poetic lies and misgiving charm. "Its pitiful," she laughed, "you'll be dying the saddest and most painful death, practically putting yourself on the plate, conscious and bound. Probably even tied your own knots."

"I'm not offering myself up!"

"You came here without a plan. Just kill till your killed. How you attacked Rosch was clear enough. You were putting yourself on a platter boy, a shiny gold platter, begging for us to jab the knife at you." She smiled then, reaching out towards the bars with Noctis instinctively leaning back, his eyes wide as he was locked onto her excited eyes. "Its fortunate for you that I'm willing to jab that knife!" She flew at him, her hand slipping past the bars, hardly flinching at the flare of static around her arm as it changed and morphed, becoming longer, thinner with bony claw tips; just as those points scraped along his cheek, a voice stilled her.

"That's enough Nabaat."

She looked up, narrowing her eyes and glaring at the man standing at the door way, staring down at them. Shooting Noctis one last look, she drew away, her arm changing back to normal. With a huff, she stomped away, shoving past the man and disappearing out of the jail. When she was gone, leaving only the two men alone, Noctis slid to the ground, his hand flying to cheek, feeling the stray sting of nails that slid over his skin.

"Hope that didn't scar you too badly," the man spoke, coming down and stopping before Noctis' cell, instead of eyeing the prince though, the man had his eyes locked on the bars, reaching out slightly, only to jerk back at a sudden jolt. Instead of a grimace of pain, the man merely smiled, stretching his hand at the tingles going up his fingers. Noctis watched the man, his equaly dark hair sweeping and falling over his grey amber eyes, the fond easy smile on his pale lips.

"Nabaat likes to lie," the man offered him, "you pissed Lightning off, but she still looked out for you. She placed a thunder spell to keep l'Cie out, just as to keep you in."

"Well that worked well didn't it?" Noctis uttered, wincing slightly.

"Beleive me, Nabaat was feeling excruciating pain. Its more powerful on l'Cie than on you, she merely chose to ignore it. Probably won't be using that arm for a day or two."

"You're both apart of council aren't you?" Noctis asked.

"Yes we are, that was Jihl Nabaat, very pleasant as you saw," then he added after a slight pause, "don't worry, those will fade."

"Who are you."

"I'm Cid Raines, an old friend of Lightning's, don't worry, I'm not going to reach for you through the bars. I don't have the same backbone that Nabaat has."

"What do you want," Noctis asked, still leaning as faraway from the l'Cie as possible.

"I'm here to let you out, Lightning said she didn't want to put up with you anymore, but we can't just leave you here either."

"...What's the catch?"

"The only catch is what you wanted. You came here to fight and kill a l'Cie didn't you? I'm here to offer you a deal, let me be the l'Cie that you want to kill."

"You would let me kill you?"

Cid Raines laughed, his whole form leaning back as he burst. "Even I have pride human, you want to fight a l'Cie, I'll give you a fight with a l'Cie, the only thing I ask is a deal on the aftermath of this fight."

"...what sort of deal?"

"You win, you kill your l'Cie, the last l'Cie, leave Paddra and return to the sanctuary, never to mention our existence to anyone. If yo go back to Paddra, every l'Cie here will kill you and anyone else you have with you."

"If you win...?"

"I won't kill you," he assured, "or I'll try not too. I am still a council member, I have reasons for having you alive; if I win, you are to accept Paddra."

"Accept Paddra?"

"You will be a citizen of Paddra, and will work willingly with all l'Cie. You are to give your name, learn our culture and understand our own reasons, just as we will try to learn and understand yours."

"I'd loose easily to you."

"You knew that before you even arrived at Paddra. But you had to be sure that you'd last against a few l'Cie to be so confident to come alone, or you were just that suicidal."

Noctis kept quiet, musing it over before he relented. He didn't have anything to loose in this, besides ended up forced to stay in Paddra, not that wasn't a change to before. He might as well, especially since it would get him out of here.

"I agree to your challenge."

Cid moved faster than Noctis expected, his arm sweeping up and easily cutting through the bars and leaving a large gap for the prince to go through. When the council member brought his arm down, Noctis stared at the deformed, monstrous arm, pale and crystallized, almost like the l'Cie that killed Stella, with large, thick claws, with curling spikes along his elbow. Smiling down at Noctis, Cid nodded towards the door.

"Come, I'll take you to the outskirts of Paddra, have you been to the Dead Dunes yet?"

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**how many people thought that was Rosch or Nabaat said that they were coming at Noct? did Cid come to mind at all?  
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	10. Chapter 10

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**Album daemonium**

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**White demon  
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He hate feeling it, but Paddra made Noctis feel small.

It wasn't so much the size of the city itself or the looming building around him. All of Luxerion had looming, towering building; Lucis especially to. The only thin he could guess that made him feel this way was the lack of sky above him. No matter where you were in Luxerion, you could always see the sky.

Not here in Paddra.

The stone city of l'Cie was half open an half close. Mot of Paddra that he' been escorted around were closed, leaving only a ceiling of solid tone above him, no sun, cloud, or star to stare own at him. When he was traveling here, it never flickered across his mind about them, about the sky. Here, with it hidden to him half the time, he really was starting to miss it.

"Keep up human," Cid called, pausing for only a second to eye the human trailing back, looking over this new area he was lead into. "Is it like this in the sanctuary?" the l'Cie asked when Noctis finally caught up to him. "Luxerion," Noctis corrected, tired of hearing that term. It was his home not a safe, even if it was really safe for humans to live.

The l'Cie blinked, humming to himself, "Interesting name," he murmured.

Noctis scoffed to himself quietly, "Like Lightning isn't."

Cid heard him though. He turned his pale amber eyes towards the human, narrowing them dangerously. Noctis tensed, instinctively stepping back as the air around the l'Cie got darker. He jumped when Cid burst out laughing, leaning back a he chortle, the air brightening automatically with his humor. Noctis gawked back, eyeing his latest escort warily as the l'Cie hunch over, his hand flying up to his face as he tried to contain his giggles. "I can assure you," he laughed, "Lightning isn't her real name."

"...It isn't?"

"Oh dear Lindzei no, only a drunk would name their kid Lightning. She chose that for herself."

Noctis stared at the l'Cie, looking over his calm, smiling features, trying to find the lie in his eyes. He found none though, there was no flicker of anxiousness, trying to persuade him that he wasn't deceiving him. Then again, Noctis grimly mused as he mentally swatted himself, what would the l'Cie gain by earning their trust? The only thing that came to mind was a free ticket into Luxerion, and only when behemoths fly would he ever take them there. Straightening and glaring up into the l'Cie eyes challengingly, he demanded, "How would you know that's not her real name? Do you even know what her real name is then?"

"Nope," Cid chirped, chuckling. "But Lightning and I go back a long time. I met her not long after she changed her name; we were both in the military and in the same unit."

"So you both were in the military?"

"Yes, though we both joined for different reasons, Lightning to get money, me, to carry on a family legacy."

"Your legacy?" Noctis asked.

Cid nodded, "The Raines family were one of the more... noble families you could say. Our fame and money came from being successful and strong generals, my ultimate goal was to become a general like my father and many other fathers before me."

"So you were a general?"

"Still am, though not a general of Cocoon, that's where most l'Cie come from. I'm now a general of Paddra... did Lightning mention them to you?"

"She mentioned," Noctis said, trying to get a little more information from the man, digesting every bit and rolling them over in his mind, trying to connect the dots that both they and Dysley gave him. Cocoon... that was another thing to add to his list about l'Cie. In Dysley's teaching and history books Cocoon was never mentioned. Then again, Bhunivelze's grandchildren weren't mentioned much either. Noctis frowned slightly as he mused, wondering how Bhunivelze felt with all his children and grandchildren gone. Did he regret their passing? Or was such a thing to human for his god.

Noctis quickly at the realization that he was starting to think like the l'Cie. He was not going to sympathize with them, or so he kept telling himself.

"A gil for your thoughts," Cid asked, taking Noctis' shoulder and lightly pushing him along. Noctis blinked as he was brought out of his thoughts, listening to the wind whistle and moan as it moved over the stone walls. Down the hall they were walking down, he could see light at the end, bright light and golden sand.

"Why did l'Cie kill fal'Cie?" Noctis asked, willing the magic inside him, feeling it rise and flare, preparing for the fight that would happen when they stepped out. "For starter," Cid answered, keeping his hand comfortably on the human's shoulder, "they desired to die, if they all died off, Bhunivelze would reawaken from the slumber his daughter, Etro, put him in. Unfortunately for suicidal and us humans, their cousins could care less on whether their grandfather came back or not. So since they all wouldn't die, they settled for wiping out as much as humanity as they could. That's why l'Cie took an interest in kill fal'Cie, to destroy them before they destroyed us."

"You weren't successful."

"No, unfortunately we weren't," Cid agreed with a sigh. "The ragnarok killed all the fal'Cie, and most of humanity, just like they wanted. Its risky business becoming a ragnarok. The power to rival the gods at the stake of loosing your own sense of humanity, even forgetting who you are and turning against the very people you were fighting for."

"Is that why no one here has become a ragnarok yet?"

"That is the main reason, live in this community for a long time, you know every face and name till they are your very family. The idea of chance to be the one to possibly destroy that family... that is something no one wants to see or even be."

Noctis squinted as they stepped out into the glaring light of the sun, the sand harshly reflecting off the light and blinding him. As soon as he stepped out, he nearly fell at the loose ground, feeling it roll, sink, and shift under his feet. The only thing keeping him steady was Cid's hand on his shoulder, holding him still and tall. "Let me know when you can see," the l'Cie told him, " then we'll start. I expect a much better attitude when we're done."

"One more question," Noctis insisted, keeping his eyes closed, opening them slowly and blinking as he tried to get used to the light around him.

"Yes?" asked the patient l'Cie.

"Why are you so open?"

"Why are you so closed?" Cid shot back with a chuckle.

"Why are you so willing to give up this information?" he pressed, ignoring the jab.

"What you're asking me is of my memories. Like all l'Cie, I've lived a long time and I remember a lot. When you've been around as long as I have and seen as much, memories aren't as big as they used to be, some are still strong but most I don't care about anymore. What you're asking of me is a history that I lived, and like the past itself, its behind me. There's no reason for me not to tell you or keep it locked up... I do suggest not pressing other l'Cie about it, not everyone is so laid back with our history."

Finally adjusted, Noctis took his first glimpse of the Dead Dunes, taking a few steps over the sand, feeling the dry air brush over his skin. Surprisingly it was cooler in Paddra than it was out here, with each step he took, dry, hot grains flew up in thick dust clouds, sliding over his skin and slipping under his clothes. The glaring sun above made the world even brighter, bright even to rival snow on a sunny day keeping Noctis' eyes narrowed for him to even get a good luck at his surroundings.

This area was going to make it a challenge for both of them, presuming the l'Cie did little fighting outside Paddra; Noctis quickly brushed that thought aside. Since there were other l'Cie outside Paddra, they all likely left at one point or another. Even the environment was set against him. There was sad everywhere, blinding and hot, with the ground uneven and even rising into a high, looming dune. Behind him stood the stone walls of Paddra, blind to the fight that was about to commence.

"Are you ready human?" Cid asked, his tone mocking and calm; the sureness and the note it carried turned Noctis' blood cold and he shivered despite the heat. Closing his eyes, Noctis breathed in deep, taking a moment to simply calm down his rattled nerves and the nervous panic spiking in him. For this moment, he took up the chance to see how he could turn anything to his advantage.

He couldn't say he's fought anything like a l'Cie; nothing that he's fought yet could compare to them. They were fast, the two l'Cie he went after, Lightning and the man that brought him, proved it. And they were strong, strong enough to rival a behemoth, and they could change their body into their advantage, he could even still feel the hard bone like claws curling around his throat where Nabaat grabbed him.

And magic. L'Cie knew magic, Lightning confirmed it for him, even used it in a way he never thought possible. She left it to trap and secure him, keeping him locked away and from anyone else from coming after him. No doubt other l'Cie could do the same, even resist magic as he saw Nabaat and Cid do.

"I'm going to come at you human," Cid warned, moving his stance and crouching slightly, his amber eyes flickering white.

Noctis ignored, struggling to find any pros, anyway or anything that could help him.

His eyes open, flaring red with magic and excitement, flickering over and meeting those glowing white eyes. When he smirked at Cid, the l'Cie returned with his own excited and confident smile. He could be fast, faster than the l'Cie. He may not be as strong as they are but he could be fast. And his magic was different from theirs, elements might not be his strength, but there was something else that he could do that they surely couldn't.

Something only a royal could do.

"Are you ready human?" Cid asked.

"Born ready," Noctis promised before diving right at him, the loose baggy Paddran clothes that Lightning purchased for him rattled against the air. Smirking toothily, flashing sharp canines at him, Cid mirrored him, running straight at him as well, his cape sweeping behind as he easily ran over the sand. As they drew near, Cid's still monstrous arm, a blinding crystal white with black spikes sticking out from his shoulder and elbow with black tipped claws, reared back, his fingers spread and ready to dig into the human's skull. At the same moment Noctis' faithful falchoin materialized into his bare palm, letting its master feel the smooth metal run and slide against his skin as he tightened his grasp on it.

Time stood still, the desert around them holding its breath as the two become inches from one another. Noctis could hear the pound of his heart hammering in his ears, hear every breathe he took, the hiss of Cid's breathe sweeping between his teeth. Out of the corner of his eyes, Noctis could see the gleam of Cid's arm coming around, coming straight at him. Instead of keeping his eyes on that arm, he kept his blood red gaze behind him.

Tightening his grip on falchoin, time sped as Noctis darted up and away, not only missing Cid's swipe but leaving his own mark on the l'Cie. Blood flew from Cid's shoulder like a spray of red water, flying after Noctis' boots. As those boots hit the wall, Noctis coming to a crouch with the motion, he took a second to listen to the roaring screech of the l'Cie as the pain caught up to him.

Closing his eyes and breathing in, Noctis forced his proud smile down and dove back into the fight, falchoin poised at the center of the still shocked l'Cie's back. Before he could even come close to piercing any skin, Noctis saw a flash of white before something hard hit his side, swatting him away like a large fly and sending him tumbling through the sand and right into a wall. Noctis grit his teeth as he tried to keep his own scream in as his back hit the stone hard, his bones rattling violently at the force of it.

Sucking in a sharp breathe, Noctis barely reacted when Cid snarled loudly. Opening his eyes, he looked up just in time to see the l'Cie flying right at him, his form even bigger than before. Instinctively Noctis teleported away, squeaking at the sharp stab of pain as he tried to stay up, pushing his bones and muscles and taking his very will not to collapse then and there. Squinting his eyes open and glaring over at Cid's form, he had a double take at the sight of six large, jagged crystal wings sweeping over Cid's back, his other arm turned monstrous and crystal like as the other, where the bleeding wound should be, even larger black, crystal spikes had grown over the wound, keeping the l'Cie from anymore blood loss and making him more demonic than before. There was even a spiked and jagged ivory tail lashing behind him.

The most unnerving sight of the whole l'Cie was the solid, empty white eyes that glared right into his, colder than any ice that could sweep over Lucis. When Cid lurched forward with a vicious screech and a stretch of his wings, he came at Noctis again, claws extended and ready to sink into the prince. Ignoring the pain ripping through his body, Noctis leaps high into the air, barely avoiding those claws as they slightly sunk into the stone. Summing a spear, Noctis let gravity drag him down, digging the spear right into Cid's back. Listneing to the enraged growl ripping from the l'Cie's throat, Noctis flashed away, just as the wings rose up and slapped against each other hard.

Turning on each other, Noctis stood up tall and high, the pain distant in his mind as he solely focused on the monster before him. Stretching out his hand, he froze the l'Cie in place as a million weapons appeared around him, feeling a small grace of satisfaction seeing those white eyes widen at the sight. When those white eyes slid over and met his ruby eyes, Noctis smirked proudly at his accomplishment, at gaining the upper hand of the l'Cie when all reality pointed out that he wouldn't.

He paused only when Cid smiled at him, Sensing that the l'Cie was about to gain the upper hand, Noctis tightened his hand into a fist, intent on ending this fight before the l'Cie had a chance to get on top of him. His weapons slid forward, only to be stopped when Cid stretched his wings out, jerking them slightly and Noctis stood stiffly, feeling his connection with them break. With wide stunned eyes, he watched as they all shattered into thin, flickering shards, all falling around the smirking l'Cie, his white eyes murderous and mocking. With a lash of his tail and the stretch of his wings, Cid slipped through the rain of shards, coming straight at the stunned prince.

By the time Noctis finally snapped out of it, Cid was already upon him, his wings coming around and trying to cage the prince in as his claws reached for him, inches away. Noctis darted away as he did previously, but not as fast as needed.

Cid got a hold of him, one of his claws biting into his side, sinking into the flesh, the tips just lightly pressing against the bones of Noctis' ribcage; and was harshly ripped away when Noctis fled from the l'Cie's cage.

When Noctis stopped, he didn't bother struggling to stay up, instead collapsing and holding his side, screaming as his hand flew to the large, gaping wound, blood flooding and sleeping over and between his fingers. Near him, the l'Cie cackled, coming over to loom over the prince, claws poised to finish the prince.

When the shadow fell over the prince, Noctis squinted his eyes open, gritting his teeth at the pain coursing through him, looking up at the crystal white demon looming over, ready to end it. Despite himself with the pain and fear filling him, Noctis kept his blurry gaze on the l'Cie, on his reaper. Silently, he apologized to everyone in his head, willing their image to pass over his eyes, longing that he got one more glimpse of them, one more word to them.

His father...

His friend, Prompto, Gladiolus, Ignis...

He was sorry, he was so sorry for all the pain and disappointment he put them through. He was sorry for abandoning them like this, on how they parted ways... he was so sorry...

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_"I mean it Stel, I'd follow you to the end of the earth," Noctis insisted, glaring ahead with a dark pout at the woman beside him. Again she denied him, insisting that they shouldn't be._

_"Oh Noct," she sighed, chuckling sadly, almost bittersweet to his ears. Reaching out, she gently took his hand, squeezing it to keep him from tugging it free. "That's sweet of you," she whispered to him, looking up with sad, assuring eyes. Noctis blinked slightly in surprise when a few tears shined in her violet eyes. Despite whatever sadness was in her she smile happily._

_ "It really is. But believe me Noct, you wouldn't follow me. You wouldn't want to follow me at all..."_

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Stella...

He could join Stella now couldn't he?

Grimly it clicked in his fogged head that surprisingly it was the last thing he wanted. He did want to see Stella again but not like this...

He was sorry.

Movement slid over his glossy gaze and he blinked, his vision clearing enough to see two white blurs tumble away from his sight, replaced with a distantly familiar pink figure that reached out, sliding soft, comforting hands on him and easing away any pain that was clawing at him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered out, his eye lids drooping as arms wound around him.

He was so sorry.

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**Salvus  
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**Safe  
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The first thing he was aware of was the smell of fire. The scent of burning wood was alien and familiar to his nose, something he used to smell a long time ago, only to be forgotten as time went on. Breathing it in now, he could remember a time when it filled the castle he lived in, drifting from the kitchen and from his parents room. He could vividly remember the times when he was little, slipping into his parent's warm room, breathing in the very fire they had burning in the fire pit set up in their room, chasing away the coldest winter ever to grace Lucis.

It was a nice smell, bringing him a sense of warmth and comfort that he hasn't felt since his mother passed. Breathing in deeply, Noctis soaked in the scent, only to cringe to reality at the sharp pain at his side and back, making him hiss slightly. Before it could become unbearable, warm hands set on his sides, and just like that, the pain faded away as the easing warmth spread through him and Noctis slumped heavily, sighing contently.

Opening his eyes, he blinked a few times as his vision slowly cleared, not recognizing the room that he was in. This wasn't his parents room...

"Hey," he jerked slightly, tilting his head up to see Lightning loom over him, staring down at him. "You have droopy eyes," she commented randomly.

"Lightning?" he asked, a slight croak in his voice. Her eyes flickered a little, eyeing him before she leaned over, resting her cheek on his shoulder lightly and rubbing her hand up and down his back reassuringly. "I'm here," she whispered to him, trailing her hands over his side and leaving a trail of warmth behind, relaxing his muscles and making him shiver as an alien feeling swept through his back, making his bones lightly tingle. "I'm here," she repeated, "and you're safe. Cid's not here Noctis, its over and done."

She leaned back a bit, and Noctis felt the cold air brush over his back where Lightning used to lay. Looking into his half lidded blue eyes, she earnestly said, "You did great, you did better than expected."

"Cid..."

"Is not here," she eased, squeezing his shoulder. "He's not here, you're safe." She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his, letting Noctis catch the scent of a distant scent of roses, reminding him of the garden that was back at home. "Sleep," she pressed, "just sleep."

Willingly or not, Noctis' eyes fell closed as he relaxed into the bed and warmth around him, the scent of fire and roses filling the air and easing his mind with memories of home and of his family.

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**Falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus  
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**False in one thing, false in everything**

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**by her big reaction when cid betrayed them, i'd say they did have some history together, either as friends or more but since lightning didn't have the time or interest for boys then, i'd say they're friends for sure in this fic, maybe had a chance to be more. anyway, i had originally thought of cid as an orphan that joined the GC but he also had a bit of a nobleman's appearance and by how he held himself, i could see the possibility, so i made the Raines a noble family so there wouldn't be too many common people or orphans joining the military.  
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**i think its safe to say that every royal that has a crystal in FF15 can summon weapons at least, i remember stella also being able to do it as well as noct's father. **

**everyone excited to finally see noct finally get his act together...ish? XD with a fight like this, i decided might as well have noctis give it his all besides cid just wiping him out in one swat, that'd be boring too and a waste of a chapter is also a reminder to me personally what noctis could do, especially when he and i set our minds to the possibilities on where a fight with a l'cie could go. hope it was intense for you guys!  
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**to help with inspiration i watched a few lightis amvs, i realize that noctis has droopy eyes~ i guess that means he's a bit of a napper or a night owl.  
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